Warehouse 13: Dangerous Game
by curiositycollection
Summary: Helena & Claudia struggle to stop the Artifact-Bomb. Myka pursues Pete & Sykes. Meanwhile, Mrs. F hunts for MacPherson. TICK TOCK ... (Season 3 Finale FIX; ALT Season 4)
1. Ch 1

The flash of white light filled the room around them as Myka, Pete, and Artie stood safely inside the small area under the protective Barrier. The explosive force of the Artifact-Bomb shook the ground beneath them, but the shield remained intact.

On the other side of the Barrier, a tidal wave of fire swept through Warehouse 13. The flames consumed the Warehouse itself, leaving only large disfigured pieces from the steel girders and from the interior metal shield-plates.

When the huge waves of flames finally died down and most of the fires went out, the Warehouse Barrier switched itself off. A draft of hot air hit them, and they coughed at the thick smoke.

Anxiously Myka wondered if they would run out of breathable air. The smoke irritated her eyes and made it difficult to see. Myka gripped Pete's arm tightly, to make sure he was standing there. To make sure she was standing there, too, alive. Her eyes kept watering and she realized she was weeping. She let go of Pete's arm and rubbed her eyes.

_Helena was standing here, with us, _Myka thought. _Helena belongs right here at Warehouse 13, with us. _In her peripheral vision, she caught a glimpse, much farther away, of a huge plume of thick black smoke. She tightly shut her eyes.

_The world is such a scary place, _she thought. _So much destruction and mayhem. _She opened her eyes, but stared intently at the ground under her feet. _Life or death all the time. It's too much. _

A breeze of slightly clearer, cooler air pushed some of the smoke away from them.

Myka allowed herself to look at Pete, and to look a bit further. He grimaced at a segment of steel girder near them that still smoked and glowed faintly with heat.

Artie stood next to them, gaping in shock as he surveyed the scorched landscape.

"That was his plan, to destroy the entire Warehouse," Pete said finally. "We lost, Artie. We lost."

The words stirred Artie from his shock, and he looked like he'd remembered something. From his jacket pocket, he pulled out an antique pocketwatch.

"Not yet," Artie said.

Myka looked at the watch-face and felt a spark of hope. _The watch looks old, _she thought. _One last artifact? Something like the Phoenix Artifact? Can we raise the Warehouse from the ashes?_

"Please tell me the pocketwatch is some kind of artifact," she said. "Tell me we can use an artifact to do something, anything."

Pete coughed. "Look around us. The Warehouse is completely gone, up in smoke. There's nothing we can do."

"No, we have to do whatever we can." Myka pointed at the watch. "Watches keep time. Time. Does it affect time? Artie, what does it do?"

Artie scowled. "Supposedly, the Pocketwatch Artifact does turn back time - supposedly."

She gasped. "If we could turn back time, we could fix this. We could save the Warehouse, couldn't we?"

Myka gripped Pete's arm again, but he coughed and looked away from her, squinting through the smoky air at the debris.

Artie studied the watch-face. "The power to travel back in time and change, actually change, an event or even some small moment, is an extremely dangerous power. That's why Warehouse agents are forbidden from ever using the Pocketwatch Artifact. Unless ..."

Artie's Farnsworth rang and he opened it.

"Mr. Kosan," Artie said. "I have terrible news."

"What's happening? Are your agents all right?" Kosan asked.

"Agents Bering and Lattimer are here with me," Artie said. "Sykes used an artifact that exploded like a bomb inside the Warehouse Barrier."

"That explains the earthquake," Kosan said. "We felt the force of the explosion, even though we're still some distance away from your location. How extensive was the damage to the Warehouse?"

"The Warehouse." Artie cleared his throat. "Warehouse 13 was completely destroyed."

For a moment, Kosan said nothing.

"I'm sending helicopters from the nearest army post to pick you up," Kosan said. "Leave your Farnsworth on, so the pilots can locate your signal. I'm already on my way to meet you, Agent Nielsen."

Pete's Farnsworth rang and he pulled it out of his jacket to answer.

"Where's Artie?" Claudia shouted. "Are you guys OK? Is Myka with you? Where's Artie? He's not answering his Farnsworth. We heard the explosion. It shook up the B&B. Where's Artie?"

"Here. He's right here. Myka, too," Pete said.

Artie leaned into the Farnsworth. "Claudia, where are you?"

"I'm coming to get you guys," Claudia said. "Can you get out of the Warehouse? I mean, can you get out through the Umbilical? How do I get you guys out of there?"

Artie looked at Myka and shook his head sadly.

Myka took the Farnsworth from Pete. "I don't think you're going to be able to drive by and pick us up," she said.

"I'm almost at the turn-off for the Warehouse road," Claudia said. "Tell me where to find you."

"The Warehouse is gone, Claude," Myka said. "In the explosion. The explosion completely destroyed the Warehouse."

"That's why Mrs. Frederic ..." Claudia said.

Myka couldn't hear Claudia's voice. "What? Could you repeat that?"

Next to Myka, Artie leaned toward the Farnsworth screen again.

"Mrs. Frederic is dead," Claudia said. "We heard the explosion, and it shook the B&B, like an earthquake. Suddenly, Mrs. Frederic collapsed and she died. Her body shriveled up, like it was decaying."

As they listened to Claudia's report, Artie stood still, his eyes wide with shock.

"Her connection to the Warehouse?" Myka asked Artie. "Because she was the Caretaker?"

He nodded slowly.

Myka's heart sank further. _Mrs. Frederic is dead, too. So many people died in Sykes's war against the Warehouse. _

A gust of smoky air stung the gunshot wound on Myka's arm and she winced. For a moment, Myka remembered standing in the Regent Sanctum, and Helena pointing the gun while Sykes threatened to shoot her between the eyes.

_We had Sykes right there. All this destruction could have been prevented. I should have killed Walter Sykes when I had the chance. _

"Hang on," Claudia said through the Farnsworth. "I'm on the Warehouse road now, headed toward the overlook. I'll be up on the canyon rim in a minute."

On the video screen, Myka saw the interior roof of Claudia's El Camino.

Finally, she heard Claudia's voice cry out, but the words were unclear. The video showed jerky movements inside the car and out onto dry South Dakota ground.

"Claudia," Myka shouted, trying to get her attention.

Another jerky camera movement brought Claudia's face back onto the video screen.

"It's gone," Claudia said. "The Warehouse is gone."

From the height of the canyon rim, the video screen showed the range of mountains that concealed Warehouse 13. Claudia pointed her Farnsworth at one end of the range and panned across.

Myka saw a jagged break in the mountain range, and empty space. As the camera panned further, over more emptiness where the Warehouse and the mountains had been, she recognized the outline of a crater. The blast crater grew in size as the camera panned across the empty landscape.

Warehouse 13, which had seemed endlessly enormous, was completely gone, leaving an enormous crater in its place.


	2. Ch 2

The smoky air around them felt hot, with only occasional drafts of fresher air. Myka, Pete, and Artie removed their jackets, but their shirts were wet with perspiration.

When Myka removed her jacket, the fabric pulled at the dried blood on her arm and she flinched. The bullet had made a shallow, stinging gash on her upper left arm.

They waited on the floor of the Warehouse, which was now a field of debris and ash.

_It's terrifying to be out here, _Myka thought. _We have to get out, away from this destruction and mayhem. _She felt lightheaded and thirsty. _The world is such a scary place._

She watched Artie. Instead of his usual pacing and gesturing, Artie stood still as he talked into his Farnsworth.

Myka knew he was talking to Kosan again, but she couldn't hear much of what Artie said. His voice occasionally got louder, when he clearly said, "No," and, "I don't know."

The hot breeze kept pushing long strands of her hair back into her face. Myka wished she had something to tie her hair with.

Pete coughed again and rubbed his eyes.

The Farnsworth rang again and Myka answered.

"Helicopters," Claudia said. She turned her Farnsworth screen to show the approach of two large army helicopters, and followed their path as they sped down into the crater.

"I keep looking, like maybe I'll find the Warehouse, but it's not there," Claudia said. "How did you guys even survive the blast? Did you use an artifact?"

_How do I explain everything that happened at the end?_ Myka thought. _I can't bear to think about the end._

"Hey, where's H.G.? Can I talk to her?" Claudia asked.

Myka struggled not to cry, and slowly shook her head.

Claudia gasped. "She can't be. No. H.G. Wells cannot be gone."

Tears ran down Myka's face.

Claudia cried too, and closed her Farnsworth.

A few minutes later, Claudia called back. "Some SUVs arriving on the scene." She pointed her Farnsworth at two black Suburban SUVs as they parked some distance from her car.

"Mr. Kosan, probably," Myka said.

Claudia's angry face appeared on the video screen. "Now? Kosan shows up now? Why? To give us a helping hand with our artifact disturbance?" She clenched her jaw. "Yeah, it's him."

The Farnsworth video showed several men in dark suits looking out at the blast crater. Regent Adwin Kosan talked into a military-style mobile radio and into his Farnsworth.

Myka heard the sound of the helicopters growing louder. She watched them circle closer, locating Artie's signal.

Finally, the helicopters picked up Myka, Pete, and Artie, and flew back to land on the ridge overlooking the canyon. After the agents exited, the choppers took off and sped away.

Artie walked over to the SUVs to meet with Kosan.

After accepting some bottles of water from Kosan's guards, Myka and Pete walked further, over to Claudia and her El Camino.

When Pete hugged Claudia and didn't let go, she began to sob.

Myka and Pete cried too, but said nothing else.

Overwhelmed by the size of the enormous blast crater, Myka shut her eyes. _This cannot be the end_.

Claudia stepped back from Pete, and from her jacket she pulled out some tissues to blow her nose.

"Damn, that's a big crater," Pete said. "Warehouse 13 may have been 'Top Secret' before, but now, people are gonna notice a gigantic, new hole in South Dakota."

Claudia said, "I can't believe our Warehouse, our home, is gone. It's all gone." She glared at Myka. "Sykes had better be dead."

"He's dead," she said.

"He killed Steve." Claudia wiped more tears from her eyes. "He killed Mrs. Frederic, and he killed H.G. Wells. For their deaths, Walter Sykes deserves to die again. He deserves to die a hundred times."

Claudia walked to the El Camino, got in, and slammed the door.

The wind blowing out of the canyon was still hot, and the terrible smell of smoke hung in the air.

Myka stood next to Pete, still staring at the crater. She was already tired of crying. She wanted to fight. She wanted to track down Sykes and fight him all over again and win, the way they should have won in the first place.

_We have to go back,_ she thought. _We have to go back and stop Sykes._

Pete coughed and rubbed his eyes.

"Claudia's right," Myka said. "The Warehouse was our home, the place where all of us belonged." She looked over to where Artie stood talking with Regent Kosan. "If there's even the possibility we can save Helena, Mrs. Frederic, and Steve, and get the Warehouse back, then we should do everything possible to undo this disaster."

Myka turned to look at Pete's face. "Right?" she asked.

He looked down at the ground. "I can't think straight right now." He coughed. "I can't even breathe right now. I feel like I've been punched in the stomach, and had the wind knocked out of me, only I won't ever be able to catch my breath again."

"It's all the smoke," she said. _And the overwhelming sadness_.

"I haven't felt this bad since back when I was drinking," he said.

_Back when he was drinking?_ she thought. _Pete was an alcoholic, but that was a long time ago._

Pete squinted at huge field of twisted steel girders and ash.

Myka held onto his shoulders and gently steered him to move. "Here, turn around and stop looking at the crater," she said. "Now look at me. What about drinking? What are you telling me?"

"I haven't wanted a drink this bad in more than three years," he said.

Myka felt a twinge of fear. Pete had been sober for 10 years. Since they'd been partners at Warehouse 13, he told her he wasn't often tempted to drink. He loved his Warehouse life and how their work kept them occupied.

She took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

"OK," Myka said. "It's good you told me. I'm your partner, and you can tell me anything. I've got your back. So, tell me how I can help. What do we do first?"

"First, I don't take a drink," Pete said. "Then, I avoid drinking for the rest of today. You know, one day at a time. So I do other things instead, like drink lots of coffee."

"Coffee is a good plan," Myka said. "We'll stop in Univille and buy coffee. Lots of coffee, for all of us." _All of us need to get far away from this crater, too_.

Myka could see Kosan standing near the SUVs and talking on his cellphone. Several men in black suits had arrived with Kosan - two drivers and two more security guards.

Artie finished talking with Kosan and walked slowly toward Myka and Pete.

_Good, now we can get out of here, _she thought.

"Pete," she said, pointing at the El Camino. "You and Claudia meet us at the Univille Deli. I'll bring Artie in one of those SUVs."

Myka walked quickly toward Artie to intercept him.

"Come on, Artie," she said as she walked past him.

Artie turned and followed her toward the black SUVs.

Avoiding Kosan, Myka walked directly to the second SUV and spoke to the security guard in the dark suit.

"I'll take the keys." She held out her hand. "You go with Mr. Kosan. Protecting the Regents is now our main priority."

The security guard stared blankly at Myka for a moment. He looked at Artie, but Artie said nothing.

"Keys, please," Myka said, still holding out her hand expectantly.

Artie walked around the SUV and got into the passenger seat.

The man frowned, but handed her the keys.

Myka got into the SUV, turned it around, and followed after Pete and Claudia.


	3. Ch 3

Myka drove the SUV along the rural road back toward Univille.

"Protecting the Regents is our main priority?" Artie said. "You just wanted to drive."

"Protecting Kosan is definitely that guard's priority," she said. "Yes, I wanted to drive."

Myka held the steering wheel with her left hand. With her right hand, she adjusted the sleeve fabric near the wound on her upper arm. Moving the fabric made her arm sting and she winced.

"Now I want you to tell me everything you know about the Pocketwatch," she said.

"How's your arm?" Artie asked. "We need to get you patched up."

"My arm will be fine," Myka said firmly. "Do not change the subject."

Artie sighed tiredly. "Using an artifact to change reality is a big temptation." He adjusted his glasses and rubbed his beard. "Believe me, I'm tempted, too. But there are reasons, serious reasons, why we are forbidden from using the Pocketwatch."

"Mrs. Frederic isn't here to forbid us to do anything, because she's dead," she said. "A whole bunch of Regents aren't here anymore to forbid us from doing our jobs, because they're dead. I don't see how Warehouse rules apply to us in this situation, because the Warehouse is gone."

She briefly ran her fingers through her hair near her forehead, trying to move the long strands off of her face.

"How about we use the Pocketwatch and travel back in time, to when Mrs. Frederic is alive," Myka said. "Then she can scold us for breaking the rules. She can give us her super-serious look."

Artie held his forehead as if his head hurt. "Mrs. Frederic gave me her serious look, the last time I saw her, when she and I archived Steve's room. I was angry, because she hadn't told me about Steve's undercover operation."

"Mrs. Frederic kept Steve's assignment a secret from you?" Myka asked.

"Yes," he said. "But Steve was my agent, my responsibility. I hated losing another agent. Mrs. Frederic's response was not consoling. She somberly reminded me that agents will always be in danger, and may die, but the Warehouse has always survived."

"Survived until today," she said. "Today the Warehouse died." She pushed some long strands of hair back over her shoulder.

"On the other hand," Myka said, "she was right. As Warehouse agents, we're in danger all the time. So why aren't you ready to use the Pocketwatch Artifact? It's another dangerous mission, involving a dangerous artifact. How would time travel be any more dangerous than our previous missions?"

Artie pulled the Pocketwatch out of his jacket to look at it, and put it away. He adjusted his glasses again and rubbed his beard.

_He's in no mood to talk about the Pocketwatch, _she thought. _But I'm in no mood to wait around. Let's try this again._

"First you said we hadn't 'lost,' as if we could still do something to save the Warehouse," she said. "But then you said we're forbidden from using the Pocketwatch. What's going on, Artie? Why are you so reluctant to use an artifact, even if it meant we could travel back in time and save Warehouse 13?"

"Because," he said, "I don't know enough about the Pocketwatch to use it successfully, or even safely. The Pocketwatch Artifact had the highest security-clearance level, for Mrs. Frederic's eyes only."

Myka frowned at the road in front of them. "All the background files were destroyed with the Warehouse. Mrs. Frederic isn't here to give us any information, either."

Artie adjusted his glasses. "That leaves only one other person who knew about the Pocketwatch. All my information about the watch, I heard from him. But I can't be sure what he told me is reliable, or even true."

"Who was it? Can we interrogate him?" Myka asked.

"No," Artie said grimly. "It was MacPherson."

"Oh no," she said.

_That's why Artie's fidgeting, _she thought. _Just the memory of MacPherson makes him nervous. _

Artie took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Because the Pocketwatch Artifact had the power to take a person back in time and allow the person to actually change events, Warehouse personnel were forbidden from ever using such a powerful artifact. The field agents weren't supposed to know the watch existed." Artie put his glasses back on.

"But MacPherson got hold of the Pocketwatch," she said.

"In total opposition to the Regents and to Mrs. Frederic," he said, "MacPherson wanted artifacts to be released out into the world, or never to be bagged in the first place."

"That's why MacPherson stole all those artifacts out of Warehouse 13 and sold them on the black market," Myka said.

"Yes," he said. "He also wanted to use some artifacts himself, because he craved power. MacPherson found the most powerful and forbidden artifacts to be the strongest temptations. After he decoded part of a classified file about the Pocketwatch Artifact, MacPherson grew fascinated with the idea of travelling back in time. The power to change history was a huge temptation for him."

"Wait, MacPherson wanted to use the Pocketwatch?" she asked. "But he didn't, did he? I mean, you have the watch. So the Pocketwatch was still in the Warehouse?"

"Not exactly in the Warehouse, as in properly tagged and stored," Artie said.

"Then where was it?" she asked. "And why were you carrying the artifact with you?"

"I was carrying it in case of an emergency." He adjusted his glasses and rubbed his beard. "I got the artifact from MacPherson. James MacPherson left me the Pocketwatch Artifact."

Myka stared at him in disbelief. After a long moment, she remembered she was driving the car and quickly turned back to watch the road.

"No wonder you're nervous," she said. "The dangerous criminal mastermind who tried to kill you also left you a little gift? Beware of evil genius geeks bearing artifact gifts."

"Exactly," Artie said.

"But if MacPherson wanted to use the Pocketwatch, or at least keep it for himself, then why would he give it to you?" Myka asked.

"I don't know why," he said. "That's what scares me. MacPherson enjoyed manipulating people. He liked to show off his power, and his superiority, over other people."

Artie sighed. "So from all MacPherson's talk about the watch, how would I know what was true, and what was lies and manipulation? How could I let you use the Pocketwatch Artifact? I don't want to put you, any of you, at risk that way. It's far too dangerous."

They drove a little further in silence. Myka thought over everything Artie had told her. She wondered about the Pocketwatch itself, and how they could use it for time travel.

One more question struck Myka. "Artie, when did MacPherson give you this forbidden Pocketwatch Artifact?"

"After he died in the Warehouse," he said.

Myka stared at him again. "MacPherson gave you the Pocketwatch after he died? When his ghost haunted Warehouse 13? Or rather, when MacPherson haunted you?"

Artie adjusted his glasses and rubbed his beard. "I found the Pocketwatch in his archived room. MacPherson left it there for me to find, with a note. But like I've told you before, there's no such thing as ghosts."


	4. Ch 4

As Myka and Artie, and Pete and Claudia, arrived at the Univille Deli, Leena drove up in Artie's red convertible.

Leena cried as she got out of the car and hugged Artie first. "I'm so glad you all survived," she said. "I can't believe Mrs. Frederic is dead. When the Warehouse exploded, she died instantly."

Artie patted Leena on the back. "I guess her connection to the Warehouse, as Caretaker, was a stronger link than I realized," he said.

Leena stepped back and surveyed all of them.

"Some kind of CSI team showed up at the B&B," she said. "Kosan sent them to pick up Mrs. Frederic's body and Marcus's body. The earthquake shook up the B&B. Part of the ceiling downstairs caved in. The house has broken windows and cracks in the plaster everywhere. With all the damage, it may take us a while to clean up and make repairs. I wanted to warn you how it will look when we get home."

Leena glanced at Myka and her expression changed to alarm. "What happened to your arm?"

"It's skin-deep. I'll be fine," Myka said.

"I'll run into the drugstore," Leena said. "We need some first-aid supplies to clean up your arm, and you'll need a bandage."

Artie and Claudia went into the Univille Deli to order.

Myka realized Pete was not following them inside, and glanced over her shoulder.

Pete stood looking down the street.

She could see the sign, five or six doors down, for Charlie's Sports Bar.

"Pete?" Myka said. "Remember our Coffee Plan?

He nodded, and they went into the deli.

After they bought food and coffee, they stood outside by their cars.

Leena urged them not to return to the B&B right away, until the CSI people had time to finish.

"Even Trailer understood something terrible happened," she said. "When Mrs. Frederic died, he ran into the room and barked in alarm for several minutes. Finally he ran out and left through his dog door. Mrs. Beckett, from up the street, called to say that Trailer showed up at their B&B. She offered to keep him for the afternoon. I said yes, but I think Trailer may be staying with the Becketts for a long time."

While Leena talked, Myka studied Pete's sad expression. He stared past them, like he was looking at someone farther away.

_If I can't stop thinking about the Artifact-Bomb, _Myka thought, _and everything that went wrong at the end, then Pete's probably thinking the same way. _ She wished she could reassure him in some way, or at least prevent him from growing any sadder.

"Where could we go and sit outside?" Myka asked. "Or at least get some fresh air? Someplace peaceful."

"The Conservatory would be pretty quiet," Claudia said.

They drove the short trip across town to the Univille Garden Conservatory.

Inside, they sat on benches where they could see the blue sky through the glass ceiling. Surrounded by the large plants, they managed to eat some of their sandwiches, and to drink most of their coffee, mostly in silence.

Leena used the first-aid supplies to clean the gash on Myka's arm and put on a bandage.

Artie complained that the larger plants made him nervous, so Leena took him outside for a walk.

Myka, Pete, and Claudia sat on the benches, drinking their coffee.

"There's one artifact that survived." Claudia pointed to a nearby statue. "That's Zeus. He's permanently separated from his wife, Hera. They were throwing too many lightning bolts around."

"Zeus and Hera?" Myka asked. "I don't remember that at all."

Claudia stared into her coffee cup. "It happened after you left the Warehouse."

"Oh," Myka said.

They sat in silence.

_This is not going well, _she thought. _Instead of making them feel a little better, I reminded Pete and Claudia of my terrible decision to run away. _

"I'm sorry," she said. "I thought we could catch our breath here at the Conservatory. I didn't mean to bring up unhappy memories. I regret my decision to leave the Warehouse. But coming back was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Warehouse 13 is where I belong, together, with all of you."

Claudia cried quietly.

"Sorry," Myka said. "I'm making it worse, aren't I?"

"No, I totally agree with you," Claudia said. "The Warehouse was the only place I've ever felt at home. Someplace I could belong, finally. Steve and H.G. belong here, too. But they're gone, and our home is gone."

Claudia stood up from the bench. "I'm gonna call Joshua. I need to hear my brother's voice." She dug her phone out of her pocket. Claudia walked away, toward the far side of the conservatory.

Pete sat next to her on the bench, drinking the last of his coffee.

"Pete, is that why you're so sad? Because we've lost our home?" Myka took a deep breath. "Would it help if you told me why you want to drink?"

He stared at the glass ceiling.

Myka linked her arm through Pete's arm. "I'm sorry," she said. "If you don't want to talk, that's OK."

"We smell like smoke," he said.

"What?"

"We smell, because of all the smoke," he said. "That's what happens in house fires. Even though the firemen put the flames out, all the smoke leaves a burnt smell in the couch, and all your clothes. Your stuff is ruined because the smell never goes away."

"Oh, Pete, you're thinking about your dad," she said. "Your dad was the fireman who rescued those kids, but he died in the house fire. I'm so sorry."

"Today our house burned down," he said. "We almost died in a huge house fire. But Helena rescued us. She was our fireman. She saved our lives, but it cost Helena her life."

Myka cried and held a tissue against her eyes to catch the tears. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

Pete wiped his eyes with his hand. "The Barrier shielded us from the fire. But basically we stood in the middle of a nuclear explosion. So, it's gonna take a while for this feeling of sheer terror to wear off." He took a deep breath. "In the meantime, yeah, I want to drink. But I'm not going to drink. Because in spite of all the sheer terror, I feel a little bit of relief. You're still alive. We're still alive. Artie, Claudia, Leena, and my mom - they're still alive, too."

Myka wiped her eyes again.

Pete took another deep breath. "C'mon. We gotta get back to the B&B." He stood up and looked around for Claudia.

"OK. Are we in a hurry?" Myka stood up, too.

"Yeah, because we smell bad," Pete said. "We need to change out of these smoky clothes and get rid of them."

"Good idea," she said. She looked toward the Conservatory doors, trying to spot Artie. "Hey, would you ride with Claudia or Leena back to the B&B? I want to drive Artie and interrogate him."

"You're working on a plan, aren't you?" he said.

"The beginnings of a plan," Myka said. "We have to start somewhere."


	5. Ch 5

"Even if we traveled back in time one day," Myka said as she drove the SUV, "the Warehouse would still be intact. Mrs. Frederic and Helena would both be alive. Then all we have to do is stop the Artifact-Bomb from going off."

Artie held his forehead. "This is why you wanted to drive me in the SUV, wasn't it? Can't you drive any faster?"

Myka steered the vehicle slowly through Univille, taking the long way back to the B&B.

"Artie, we're in bad shape here. Pete is so traumatized, he wants to drink again," she said.

"Oh no," he said.

"Steve's death devastated Claudia," she said. "Right after that, she lost the Warehouse, too. She watched Mrs. Frederic die and shrivel up. How is Claudia going to recover from all those losses?"

Myka ran her fingers through her hair, trying to keep it out of her face. "We lost our home. The place you've called home for, what, 30 years? We're in bad shape, all of us. If we have any chance of rebuilding our lives, we start by making things right. Even if it means using an artifact."

"You're in bad shape, too," Artie said. "Seriously, how is your arm? Does it hurt?"

"With the stabbing pain in my heart," she said, "I don't notice the arm so much."

"In the Sanctum, who shot you?" he asked.

"Sykes, with the DeMille Crop. I mean, he made Helena shoot the gun," she said. "Sykes threatened to shoot me between the eyes, too." She shivered at the memory. "Helena's usually a strong-willed and bold person. She was the one pointing the gun, but her eyes were filled with fear."

"You do realize," he said, "if we travelled back in time and met Sykes again, the confrontation could still end badly. For instance, you could get shot again, or worse."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," she said.

Another memory resurfaced, of another gun pointed to her head. At Yellowstone, Myka gave Helena the gun to point at her own head. That was after watching Artie shoot his revolver at Helena, only to be wounded himself. Because she wore the Corsican Vest Artifact, Helena was protected from the bullet.

Artie pointed at the street. "The traffic light is green. Go."

"This is Univille," she said. "It's not like anyone is waiting behind us."

He sighed impatiently.

Slowly she drove through the intersection.

"Artie, how badly did it hurt to be shot in Yellowstone?" she asked.

Instinctively, he rubbed his shoulder. "It hurts. I don't recommend being shot in Yellowstone, or anywhere else," he said. "Maybe I'm not willing to risk your life. The possibility that you could be shot between the eyes terrifies me."

"I can't stand on the sidelines and do nothing," she said, "This cannot be the end."

"You're talking about Helena," he said. "You want to rescue her, don't you?"

Myka gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to maintain her composure. "Yes, of course I want to rescue Helena," she said hoarsely. "She prevented us from dying in the explosion. Helena saved our lives, and I think we can return the favor."

"What she did, at the end," he said, "may be the bravest thing I have ever seen."

She struggled not to cry again, but her tears blurred her view of the road in front of her.

"We'll use the Pocketwatch to go back in time, and rescue Helena," she said. "Next time, with Helena and all of us working together, we can prevent the Artifact-Bomb from exploding. We'll have another chance to save everyone, and save Warehouse 13. Wouldn't saving their lives be worth the risk?"

"Yes. Maybe. I don't know," Artie said. "Could you drive a little faster, please? At least speed up to the speed limit."

Myka maintained her slow speed as she drove back toward the B&B. "No, because we're not finished talking. You're not answering my questions about the Pocketwatch."

"No one is going to use the Pocketwatch Artifact right away. Mr. Kosan wants to discuss the situation with some of the surviving Regents. It may take several days for the Regents to travel here."

She frowned. "Those Regents and their damn meetings."

"Mr. Kosan wants to consider every angle," he said.

"More secrets," she said. "The Regents will exclude us, their own Warehouse agents. Just like before, their secrets will be so big, they can't tell us. The Regents will make up another stupid plan. Last time, their stupid plans got some of us killed."

Artie sighed again.

Myka gingerly pulled at the bandage on her arm. "OK, Sykes was the one trying to kill us, not the Regents. But what defensive strategies did they make, besides more meetings? We could have been increasing security at Warehouse 13. We could have gone after Sykes as soon as Steve located him. The Regents' secret plan was stupid, whatever it was."

"And your plan is better, how, exactly?" Artie asked. "So far, your plan is to use a powerful and dangerous artifact, and risk your life, right?"

"Actually," she said, "we'd be risking two lives. I'm planning to take Pete with me. But first, I have to talk him into it. And yes, my plan will be better, once I figure out what the plan is. But we cannot keep doing things the same way as before. Even if it means breaking some of the Regents' rules."

"Myka!"

"Why should we follow their rules? Why?" she said. "The rules didn't protect us, as agents in the field. The rules didn't help us snag the Artifact-Bomb. Those rules were obstacles that made it harder to rescue Helena and to stop Sykes."

"Do you want to throw out the rulebook?" Artie asked. "Aren't you Myka Bering, the agent who read the entire Warehouse 13 manual?"

"We need to change the rules," she said, "and get new and improved rules. Starting with all the stupid secrets. The first new rule has got to be, 'No more secrets.'"

"Hmm," he said. "That would be a good rule."

"Next," she said, "I have to figure out a plan to save the Warehouse and prevent all of us from dying. But before that, you are going to tell us, all of us, everything you know about the Pocketwatch Artifact."

Artie scowled at Myka as she finally drove into their driveway and parked in front of the B&B.

"I'm serious. No more secrets," she said as she got out of the SUV.

Artie got out and followed her up the driveway.

As Myka and Artie entered the B&B, Claudia charged into the front hallway.

"They took it, Artie. Those Regent thugs must have taken it with them." Claudia glared at him. "Call Kosan and tell him to bring back the artifact. The Metronome is for Steve. We have to bring Steve back."

"What are you talking about?" Artie asked. "What metronome?"

"That Bad Guy, Marcus, couldn't die because an artifact, a Metronome Artifact, kept him alive," Claudia said. "We stopped Marcus here. His Metronome Artifact was right here, in the B&B. Now it's gone."

"Regent Security must have confiscated the Metronome when they were here cleaning up," Myka said.

"I'm going to use the Metronome to bring back Steve," Claudia said.

Artie gaped at her. "What do you mean, bring back Steve? You don't mean resurrection."

"Steve should never have died," Claudia said. "That stupid undercover mission cost him his life. We can bring Steve back."

"I've told you before," Artie said, "resurrection artifacts are even more powerful than most, and always involve grim side-effects. The consequences of using those artifacts can be terrible."

Claudia glared at him in fury, but said nothing. Instead, she ran upstairs.

Leena stood in the Reading Room doorway, watching them.

"Did you see this Metronome?" Artie asked.

"Yes," she said. "Marcus was about to kill me when Mrs. Frederic arrived. While Marcus threatened Mrs. Frederic, Claudia grabbed the Metronome. When the Metronome rhythm stopped, Marcus's life stopped permanently."

"Sykes used the artifact to keep Marcus alive?" Myka asked.

"Apparently," he said. "If Marcus depended on the Metronome to stay alive, Sykes probably used it to insure his loyalty."

"After Marcus dropped dead, Claudia refused to let go of the Metronome," Leena said. "She and Mrs. Frederic were gearing up for a big argument. She was determined to use the artifact to bring back Steve. But the Warehouse exploded, and Mrs. Frederic died."

Artie took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"If only the Warehouse were still here," Leena said, "then you could find some way, a safer way, to bring Steve back. To bring all of them back."

Artie put on his glasses and glanced at Myka.

Myka crossed her arms and stared at him.

"I'm trying to find a way to undo this disaster," he said. "But safe? No, there's never going to be a safer way to use artifacts. The only way artifacts might be considered safe is when they're locked away, in Warehouse 13."

"If only we could get back to Warehouse 13," Myka said.


	6. Ch 6

While Myka, Artie, and Leena stood in the front hallway of the B&B, Pete came down the stairs carrying a big black garbage bag. His hair was wet and he had changed clothes.

"One bag of smoky ruined clothes, headed to the dumpster." Pete went out the front door.

"Myka, you can claim the next hot shower," Leena said. "I need more time to find clothes for Artie." She crossed her arms and sized up Artie.

He sighed in exasperation.

"Leena, I need to tell you something, about Pete," Myka said.

Leena nodded. "Pete told us he's tempted to drink," she said. "We didn't have much alcohol here anyway, just a few wine coolers you bought for Claudia. I poured them down the sink so I could reassure Pete. There's no alcohol in the house right now."

"Thank you," Myka said.

Pete came back through the front door. "You guys need to get rid of your smoky clothes. You stink."

Artie frowned at him.

Pete stopped. "Oh, man, all your personal stuff was in the Warehouse. Sorry."

"Go ahead, Myka," Leena said. "We'll work on Artie." She handed Myka a black garbage bag, the first-aid kit, and a bottle of peroxide.

* * *

As Myka showered, she realized her hair was too long and would only get in her way. _Time for a trim, _she thought. She washed her hair a second time, hoping to remove the smoky smell.

With the first-aid supplies, she cleaned the gash on her arm again, and put on another bandage.

Myka dressed, combed out her long wet hair, and went looking for Claudia. She saw the bedroom door, partly opened.

"Claudia?" Myka opened the door a bit more and peeked in.

Claudia sat on her bed, cross-legged. In tears, she hugged several framed photos.

Myka saw part of one photo -Steve and Claudia in their Civil War uniforms.

"Claudia, I'm so sorry." She sat down in the office chair at Claudia's desk, next to the bed. "About Steve. About everything."

"Mrs. Frederic refused to bring back Steve with the Metronome Artifact." Claudia clenched her jaw. "If she were alive, we would be fighting about it right now. I don't care what Mrs. Frederic or the Regents think. I would use the Metronome, or anything else I could get my hands on, to bring back Steve and H.G." She sighed in frustration. "Then probably I'd get fired from the Warehouse."

_I would do almost anything to bring them back,_ Myka thought. _I'm not going to keep the Pocketwatch Artifact a secret, either. _

Claudia's eyes were red, and her nose ran.

From the box on the desk, Myka pulled out tissues for herself, and handed the box to Claudia.

_Say something reassuring that's not Top Secret,_ she thought.

"I can't imagine a scenario where you could be fired," she said. "I don't know how Artie kept Warehouse 13 going before you arrived. We could never manage without you now. Plus you've only just started your career as a field agent."

"I'm not cut out to be a Warehouse agent," Claudia said. "Or any other kind of agent where we have such dangerous jobs. Not when the people I care about keep dying."

"Oh, Claude," she said. "None of us are cut out for this, not really. Warnings about death are scary enough when they're printed in our job descriptions. But losing a partner is devastating. After I lost Sam, my partner from Denver Secret Service, I carried the pain and sadness for a long time."

"Sadness?" Claudia glared and clenched her jaw. "Mainly, I'm furious. Myka, why aren't you furious?"

"I am furious. I'm also heartbroken." Myka wiped her eyes. "All this crying is exhausting, too."

"I'm angry because we should not have lost the war against Sykes," she said hoarsely. "I'm angry about how the Regents kept secrets from us. They kept us in the dark and didn't let us fight in our own war. I keep thinking, if things had gone even a little differently, we could have stopped Sykes and stopped the bomb."

"We could have stopped Steve from going on his undercover mission," Claudia said. "Artie knew I was upset about Steve leaving the Warehouse. How could he not tell me the truth?"

"Oh, no," Myka said. "Even Artie didn't know why Steve left. He didn't know Steve went undercover, either. Mrs. Frederic kept it a secret from Artie, until it was too late."

"The key word is 'late,'" Claudia said. "The truth is pretty useless now."

"When I drove Artie in the SUV, I gave him a long speech about Regents keeping secrets. I told him, one of our new rules must be, 'No more secrets.' We will never be blind-sided by Bad Guys again. Not as long as I work at Warehouse 13."

Myka wanted to tell Claudia about the Pocketwatch Artifact, and how she hoped they could fix everything that had gone wrong. But she looked at the grief-stricken young woman.

_Maybe I should wait until this particular emotional tidal wave passes, _she thought. _Claudia doesn't need all of my far-fetched hopes thrown at her, not all at once_. _Start with some smaller piece of information. _

"Maybe it's not too late, for the truth, I mean," Myka said. "We discovered some vital information about Sykes. Unfortunately, we learned it at the last minute. Armed with more of the truth, maybe we can do something."

Claudia looked puzzled.

"Vague, I know," Myka said. "Artie had one idea, but he was reluctant to explain. I'm going to insist Artie give all of us an update, together. We need to see where we stand. In the meantime, I'm going back to work on this case."

"What case?" Claudia asked. "The Bad Guy is dead and all the artifacts are gone."

"But I still have questions about what happened," Myka said. "How did Sykes know so much about Warehouse 13? Where did he get so many artifacts? We can still do a lot of digging into his past. Also, I've got to develop a plan for what we do next."

"What kind of plan? I don't see the point," Claudia said.

"Some small plans at least. We take the next steps. Those steps add up to a bigger plan," she said. "For example, I'm going to need paper, to write out all my plans. We can go into Univille for supplies."

Claudia shifted the stack of photos in her arms, but said nothing.

"My first step is small, but I need your help," Myka said. "Would you trim a couple of inches off the length of my hair?"

Claudia was a bit surprised. But she set the photo-frames on the other side of her bed and stood up. She found some scissors, and moved her trashcan to catch the hair.

Myka sat in the chair, facing the desk.

Claudia only agreed to cut Myka's hair if she could cut slowly, one small section at a time. After Myka described her desired length at the top of her shoulders, Claudia cautiously began to cut the long wet hair.

Myka sat still and surveyed Claudia's desk. She stared at the old photo of young Claudia, smiling beside her older brother, Joshua. The first time she saw the photo wasthree years ago.

A desperate young woman kidnapped Artie from Warehouse 13. When Myka and Pete traced the woman to her apartment, they found an office crammed with physics books. Her research covered the walls - notes, diagrams, charts, and photos. The young woman was Claudia Donovan, the amateur physicist who rescued her own brother after he was trapped in a dimensional rift.

_Claudia the genius physicist, _she thought.

After Claudia finished her careful work, she stood back and released the breath she was holding.

"Claudia, you're a genius," Myka said.

"All I did was cut in a straight line," Claudia said skeptically. "I'm not cut out to be a hairdresser, either."

Myka turned around in the office chair. "I meant generally, you're brilliant." She picked up the photo. "The brilliant girl who grew up to be this genius young woman." She pointed at Claudia.

"I'd like you to consult on a scientific matter. I have a serious physics problem. Specifically, a problem with an extremely powerful explosive device. I'll bet that you, Claudia Donovan, can help me solve my problem."


	7. Ch 7

A little later, Myka went downstairs.

Pete stood in the main hallway of the B&B, and he looked up at her expectantly. "Naturally curly hair. Is this a new look?" he asked.

"Excellent observational skills, Agent Lattimer. It's called the 'old look,'" she said.

"Come here and peek around the corner," he said, "and observe what I found for Artie to wear."

Myka followed him and saw Artie standing in the Reading Room, loudly and unhappily describing clothes to Leena as she wrote a list.

Artie wore a large, long brown bathrobe. Last Christmas, Pete's mother sent him the bathrobe, which Pete refused to wear ever.

Myka and Pete backed away from the doorway.

"Leena and I are going to town to buy some clothes for Artie," he said.

"Take the SUV." Myka handed him the keys. "Claudia and I will take the El Camino. We're going into town, too, to stock up on supplies."

As Claudia started to come down the stairs, Myka called up to her. "Hey, could you bring the old photo of you and Josh? I want to make a copy."

Claudia went back up the stairs.

"Meet us at the hardware store when you're done," Myka said to Pete.

Artie walked out into the hallway, as the hem of the long bathrobe made a train of fabric behind him. Leena followed him, and when she saw Myka and Pete, she shook her head tiredly.

"No," Artie said, "now is not the time for me to try anything new. I want to replace my old clothes. Bring me earth-tones. I want brown, black, and gray, exactly like I had before. Could you please, please, bring me the things on the list? Thank you."

Claudia came back down the stairs with her messenger bag slung over her shoulder. She saw Artie in his long bathrobe and arched one eyebrow.

He realized they were all looking at him in amused silence. He frowned and tightened the belt on the bathrobe.

Pete pointed. "Hey, Artie, the bathrobe is brown. One of your signature colors."

"Go," Artie said. "Now."

* * *

Myka walked slowly through the hardware store, filling the shopping cart with office supplies - several sizes of paper pads and notebooks, large packages of Post-It Notes pads, and several kinds of pens and markers.

The Univille Hardware store had more than traditional hardware. It even had a candy aisle.

Myka found the ammunition aisle and searched for cartridges for her Glock pistol.

Claudia walked up to her holding a 5x6 cardboard photo-frame. "I used the scanner-copiernext door at the Post Office. But why do you want a copy of my old photo?"

Myka put a box of cartridges into the shopping cart.

Claudia handed her the photo.

"As a memento of one of our most successful missions," Myka said. "You snagged your brother, and we bagged a major artifact. It's proof we succeed most of the time. We could use some positive proof right now." She looked at the photo. "Do you have a scanner at the B&B?"

"No," Claudia said, "except for my laptop, all my hardware was in the Warehouse office."

"Come on." Myka grabbed another box of cartridges and pushed the shopping cart forward. "You're going to pick out a new scanner."

"Artie's not going to authorize employee expenses right now," Claudia said.

"I'll pay for the scanner," Myka said. "I'll pay for whatever else you need, too."

Pete appeared at the end of the aisle.

Myka stopped her cart. "Claudia, go ahead and replace all your hardware. We'll set up our field office at the B&B. Get a new printer, too."

Claudia looked puzzled, but she hurried up the aisle.

Pete carried bags of candy and several candy bars, which he added to Myka's cart. "Leena's managed to replace most of the Artie-Wear Earth-Tone Collection," he said. "With any luck, Artie will look the same, as if nothing had ever happened."

Myka stared at Pete thoughtfully.

"What?" he asked.

"What if it is possible, to go back," she whispered urgently, "and make sure the disaster never happened? If we could put everything back the way it was? Wouldn't it be worth the risk?"

"Myka," he said. "We don't know the watch even works."

Myka pushed her cart around to another aisle while Pete followed her.

"When we get back to the B&B," she said, "I'm going to make Artie tell all of us the whole story about the antique in question. I'm serious. We need to know as much as possible, so we can decide what to do next."

Myka stopped her cart. "Here, pick out some art supplies. You're going to draw pictures for me."

Pete found pencils and a large sketchpad, and put them into the cart.

"Another sketchpad." Myka pointed. "Get those markers, too, the bigger pack."

"I'm surprised Claudia isn't harassing Artie to let her take apart the watch and see how it works," Pete said quietly.

Myka steered her cart back around into the ammunition aisle.

"Claudia doesn't know yet about the watch." Myka scanned the rows of boxes. "I don't want us to keep secrets from each other anymore. I want Artie to tell all of us what he knows. He'll disagree, because he wants to protect Claudia. But I don't think keeping information from her counts as protection."

Myka chose another box of cartridges.

Pete nodded. "Artie would protect all of us, if he could."

_Artie would protect us._

Myka stared at Pete in alarm. "Oh, no," she said. "What if Artie thinks he's protecting you and me? What if he decides to risk using the Pocketwatch and makes the trip all by himself?"

Pete pulled out his Farnsworth and called Artie.

Myka leaned into the Farnsworth screen. "Artie, don't go," she said loudly.

"Go?" Artie frowned. "I'm wearing a bathrobe. I'm not going anywhere. Did Leena get my clothes?"

Myka bit her lip.

"Yeah," Pete said. "Leena found everything you wanted. Myka and I are finishing up here at the hardware store."

"Hardware store? What are you doing there?" Artie asked.

Pete looked over the items in Myka's shopping cart. "Buying lots of office supplies and ammunition. Also some candy."

Claudia returned pushing a shopping cart filled with a flatbed scanner, a high-resolution color printer, and several other large boxes.

Pete shrugged at the Farnsworth screen. "And, you know, buying lots of hardware."


	8. Ch 8

_edited on June 5, 2013 - Revised because **Myka's gun** (on the show) is supposed to be a SIG-Sauer P226R (9x19mm). (Previously, I gave her a Glock.) (See also the Internet Movie Firearms Database page for Warehouse 13.)_

* * *

.

Myka and Claudia drove back through Univille toward the B&B.

"Thanks for all the new hardware," Claudia said. "I know you're trying to cheer me up."

Myka glanced in the rear-view mirror at the boxes in the back of the El Camino. "I was serious about setting up our field office," she said. "I have a physics problem. Two, actually. You can help me figure out how to stop an Artifact-Bomb."

Claudia raised an eyebrow. "OK, but I don't see what difference it makes now."

_No more secrets,_ she thought. _Claudia needs to know about the time travel trip._

"That brings us to my second physics problem." She gripped the steering wheel tightly and tried to sound calm. "At the Warehouse, Artie carried one small artifact with him, so it wasn't destroyed in the explosion. It's an antique Pocketwatch. He thinks the Pocketwatch Artifact could be used to travel back in time. I want your advice on how time travel works, and how we might travel safely."

"Time travel?" Claudia asked. "Like the time machine H.G. Wells built? Where we could see what happened on a particular day in the past?"

"No, this is different. The Pocketwatch Artifact supposedly transports the person back in time, and the person can change events. Actual time travel."

"Whoa." Claudia held her head as if it hurt. "I don't think it's possible, as an answer to your physics question. So it's gotta be an artifact, right? Because in our experience, only an artifact could override the laws of physics." She shook her head. "Whoa. Actual time travel."

"Also, as Artie will remind us repeatedly, a dangerous and powerful artifact," Myka said. "The background files and any sort of user instructions were lost with the Warehouse."

Claudia stared at her in realization. "You want to use the Pocketwatch. You and Pete want travel back in time. That's your big plan, isn't it? Go back in time and save the Warehouse. Oh, I am totally going with you guys."

"First," Myka said, "Artie has to tell us how the Pocketwatch works."

"If we went back in time, H.G. would still be alive," Claudia said.

Myka felt a pang of sadness and slowed down the car's speed. _I won't be able to drive and cry and breathe all at the same time_.

Claudia kept talking. "H.G. could figure out how to stop an Artifact-Bomb. She could save Warehouse 13. I could help, of course. But H.G. could figure it out, because she's a total genius."

Slowly she pulled the car off the road and stopped to park. She got out and managed to walk to the back of the El Camino before she started sobbing. Leaning against the car, she glared out across the dry South Dakota wilderness. After a few minutes, her sobbing subsided.

Claudia opened her car door and stood up, but kept her distance.

She glanced at Claudia and self-consciously wiped some tears from her face. "Helena was a true genius. Even at the end, when time was literally running out."

"H.G. saved you guys, didn't she?" Claudia said. "That's how you survived the explosion."

Myka nodded sadly. "But Helena's gone. All of her amazing inventions are gone, too. The files about the real Helena Wells are gone. All the evidence of her genius is gone, as if one of the greatest minds in history had never existed." She crossed her arms tightly and squinted into the backroad wilderness.

Claudia reached inside the El Camino for her messenger bag. "Actually, there is still one piece of evidence," she said.

Myka watched as she reached into her bag and pulled out a photo-frame.

"After H.G. worked with us on the Joshua's Trumpet case, I copied an old Warehouse 12 photo, and stashed it away." Claudia held out the frame. "Today in Univille, I made a copy for you."

She took the frame and looked at the photo, reflexively clamping her hand over her mouth. The black-and-white photo showed Helena Wells standing next to her partner, Mr. Wolcott, somewhere in London in the 1890s.

More tears ran down her face, but she smiled at Helena's expression. In the old photograph, Helena Wells, agent of Warehouse 12, wore the same confident expression Myka remembered from their final minutes in Warehouse 13.

_Only Helena could look calm and confident standing next to a ticking time-bomb. Of course, she had reason to be confident. The last scientific experiment of Helena Wells was a complete success, and she saved our lives._

"Thank you for this, Claudia," she said hoarsely. "I can't explain how valuable this photo is. But thank you."

Myka's thoughts about those final moments in Warehouse 13 confused her with questions. Aware of Claudia watching her, she took a deep breath to steady herself. _I've got to get my mind back on track. _

She handed the frame back to Claudia. "Hang on to this, and wait here. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Claudia's eyes widened as Myka unsnapped the holster strap over her pistol. "Don't worry about the noise," Myka said calmly. "I need a little target practice."

She walked away from the El Camino, farther into the barren South Dakota terrain. Still within sight of Claudia, she stood overlooking a shallow ravine and scanned the immediate area. Certain that the ravine was empty, she drew her SIG-Sauer P226R and aimed at the trunk of a fallen cottonwood tree.

Her first shot hit the tree trunk, but missed the large knot she was aiming for.

_I am a trained Secret Service agent. All my training and experience told me to respond quickly to the threat against Warehouse 13._

Her second shot hit just to the left of the knot in the tree trunk.

_My instincts told me to go on offense. As soon as we identified Sykes, we should have counter-attacked._

Her third shot hit the knot.

_But what did I do? Did I listen to my instincts? Did I act on my field experience?_

Her fourth shot hit the knot.

_No, I followed someone else's plan, a plan I knew to be flawed. I agreed to follow the rules and wait for permission. We waited too long, and our delay cost Helena her life._

Her fifth shot hit the knot dead-center.

She remembered Helena unwillingly and fearfully holding the gun to her head. _Helena said, "Change the rules." She remembered Caturanga's advice and solved the chess puzzle. "Change the rules."_

Her sixth shot hit the knot dead-center.

_Sykes set up his own chess game against Warehouse 13, and we lost. He controlled all the pieces on the board. Under those circumstances, we had no chance to win the game. We didn't realize we were pawns until almost the end._

Her seventh shot hit the knot dead-center.

_Helena won the chess-game puzzle in the Sanctum. But Sykes played a much larger, dangerous game against Warehouse 13. We lost. _

Her eighth and ninth shots hit the center of the knot.

_I should have killed Walter Sykes when I had the chance._

She continued shooting at the fallen cottonwood tree until the SIG magazine was empty. Carrying the pistol beside her, she walked slowly back to the car.

Claudia leaned against the El Camino and watched her expectantly.

Myka stood beside her and stared at the horizon.

"Are you going to reload?" Claudia asked gently.

"No, that's enough for now," she said. "The target practice helped me focus my thoughts."

"Did the photo upset you? Does Helena's picture remind you too much of her death?"

She touched the gun barrel and decided it was cool enough to return to its holster. "The photo reminds me how Helena died, but those memories will assist us on our case." She glanced at Claudia. "I need to tell you about the end. We need to review everything that happened in the Regent Sanctum, in the Warehouse, and especially in the Ovoid Quarantine where we took the Artifact-Bomb."

Myka got into the El Camino. As Claudia joined her, she started the engine. "I won't be able to explain it all at once, because I'll need to take breaks and cry. But I want to analyze exactly what happened, so when we go back in time, we won't be caught unprepared again."

"One more thing." Myka gripped the steering wheel with both hands. "This mission is going to be dangerous, and maybe deadly. But since it involves time-travelling and dismantling a bomb, you should definitely go with us."


	9. Ch 9

"No," Artie shouted. "Claudia is not going with us. No. Have you lost your mind?" He glared at Myka.

Myka stood, frowning back at him, with her hands on her hips.

In the B&B's Reading Room, Claudia slouched in a chair, watching them argue.

"No, it's far too dangerous," Artie said. "Even if the time-travel trip was safe, which it's not, there's a psychopath who's trying to kill us. Plus, as you may recall, he has an Artifact-Bomb. No, Claudia's not going anywhere near Sykes or the bomb."

"That's exactly why we need Claudia to go with us," Myka said. "If the timeline even gets that far, and we wind up near the bomb again, she can help us figure out how to stop it. With Claudia and Helena working together, they can stop the bomb."

Artie pointed his finger at Myka's face. "That's if - if the Pocketwatch works in the first place, and that's a big if."

"Speaking of time travel," Myka said, "now that we're all here, you can give us the full story on the Pocketwatch Artifact."

Pete and Leena sat in the other chairs, watching Artie expectantly.

Artie sighed in defeat and sat down on the couch. He pulled the Pocketwatch out of his pocket and stared at thewatch-face.

Claudia moved to sit on the couch next to Artie. She picked up one of the throw-pillows and hugged it with both arms.

Artie first explained what he had already told Myka. The Pocketwatch Artifact worked as a time-travel device, relocating people back in time.

During his troublesome days as a Warehouse agent, James MacPherson discovered highly classified artifact files. MacPherson stole the Pocketwatch out of classified Warehouse storage and taunted Artie about making a forbidden time-travel trip.

As Artie talked, Myka watched Pete.

He sat still in his chair. Pete didn't tap his foot repeatedly, or pump one knee nervously, or play continuously with a rubber band. He didn't fidget at all. He listened to Artie, but didn't react in any way.

Myka concluded sadly that Pete was still traumatized by the fire in Warehouse 13.

Claudia sat next to Artie on the couch. She listened as Artie spoke and stared intently at the watch he held up in his hand.

Myka guessed Claudia was studying the artifact as best she could.

Artie explained how he thought the Pocketwatch Artifact worked. The person who holds and activates the Pocketwatch is transported backwards in time. Time travel is a one-way trip - the person can only travel back in time.

Anyone else touching the watch-holder when the watch is activated is also relocated back in time.

The watch-users relocate back to the events and situations already in motion. More specifically, the watch-users are relocated back into their previous, slightly younger selves.

To the people around them, the time-travelers look the same, and the others remain unaware anything has changed. The watch-users, however, remember the other timeline. In this way, they know the probable future and may attempt to change the outcome.

Artie knew the Pocketwatch could be set to travel back a certain amount of time - a day, a week. But he did not know the limit of how far back in time a person might travel.

"Of course," Artie said, "there are side-effects to using artifacts. I don't have enough information about the Pocketwatch side-effects." He sighed. "I heard a few stories, though. Salvador Dali was a Warehouse agent during the 1930s and 1940s. Dali made too many trips with the Pocketwatch Artifact. His experiences in multiple timelines distorted his some of his cognitive abilities, including his perception of time."

"So how bad was it?" Claudia asked.

"The Regents had to discharge him from active duty and erase his memory of Warehouse 13. But for the rest of his life, he couldn't get the image of a watch out of his head. Dali put the Pocketwatch into many of his art works."

"That's kinda cool," Pete said.

Artie glared at him.

"No, not cool at all," Pete said. "Not cool to paint pictures of Top Secret artifacts."

Artie reminded them altering timelines was a dangerous prospect. Even a small change in the past might trigger huge consequences, for better or for worse. Because of such ripple-effect consequences, Warehouse personnel were forbidden from using the Pocketwatch.

"But Dali used the Pocketwatch, several times," Myka said. "What was he doing with it?"

"In the late 1940s," Artie said, "several Warehouse agents traveled back to the 1930s to prevent the Nazis from winning World War 2 and conquering the world."

"OK, admit it, that's cool," Pete said.

Artie looked intently at Myka. "Do not expect the Regents to authorize a trip for us immediately. The Pocketwatch Artifact was used only at points when world history hinged on a particular event. Basically, Warehouse agents were allowed to use the Pocketwatch to save the world."

"Those agents were successful," Myka said. "The Nazis lost the war. We can win our war, too. We'll use the Pocketwatch, knowing we can change what happens to Warehouse 13."

"There's no question we can change some of what happens," Artie said. "But there's no guarantee we can change the right things at the right time. Time travel also means we risk making some things worse, possibly much worse."

Myka sighed in frustration.

"The bottom line is that time travel is extremely dangerous," he said. "Tesla thought the Pocketwatch Artifact was so dangerous, it should be destroyed."

"Nikola Tesla?" Claudia asked. "Was it Tesla's artifact?"

"No, it wasn't his watch," he said. "Tesla was one of the World War 2 agents. He was also the one who tracked, as best he could, when the Pocketwatch worked, or didn't work. He even speculated about building a device that could function like the Pocketwatch."

"If Tesla wondered how to build another time-travel device," Claudia said, "why would he want to destroy the Pocketwatch?"

"I don't know," Artie said. "Tesla indicated the Warehouse agents were authorized to use the Pocketwatch Artifact to stop the Nazis. After the war was over, the Regents were supposed to destroy the artifact to prevent it from being used again."

"But the Pocketwatch is still here," Myka said. "We have a chance to save Warehouse 13."

Artie didn't respond. He put the Pocketwatch into his jacket.

Myka's mind was crowded with questions. She stood up and paced around the Reading Room.

"So, what happens next?" Leena asked.

"I'm not sure," Artie said. "Mr. Kosan stopped by earlier to bring me some paper files. He said the Regents would meet here in Univille the day after tomorrow and discuss what to do."

"The Regents are meeting about the Pocketwatch?" Claudia asked.

"Yes," Artie said. "I'll tell them everything I told you. But the bad news is, the Regents will probably say 'no' to time-travelling and 'no' to using forbidden artifacts."

Myka felt a surge of anger. "If we don't travel back in time, if we stay here, then the Warehouse truly is gone. If the Regents say 'no,' then we do nothing? Is that what you want, Artie? You want us to do nothing?"

Artie held his head again and heaved a big sigh. "Of course, we want to do whatever we can. But we're not going to do anything tonight. Today has been a long and terrible, terrible day. Today is officially over. What's most important tonight is for all of us get some sleep."

Myka bit her lip. Her mind raced with more questions.

She glanced at Pete as he quietly left the room to go upstairs.

As the rest of them stood in the Reading Room, Myka felt wobbly for a moment. The imbalanced feeling persisted and she realized the wobbliness wasn't coming from her.

Suddenly Artie turned around and watched the potted fern, hanging in the corner and swaying.

"Artie?" Leena asked nervously. "Is the house shaking?"

The wobbliness lasted only a few moments longer.

"Yes, it's a tremor." His gaze darted around the room. "A slight aftershock."

"Aftershock, as in earthquake?" Claudia asked.

"Hmm. The force of the explosion at Warehouse 13 was certainly as strong as an earthquake." Artie scanned the ceiling. "Earthquakes often produce aftershocks. That was a small tremor, though. Perfectly natural." He adjusted his glasses. "Nothing to worry about."

Myka watched him skeptically.

Claudia turned to leave the room.

"Claudia," Artie said.

She paused in the doorway.

"I didn't know about the plan with Steve," he said sadly. "I had no idea he was working undercover. Mrs. Frederic didn't tell me. I didn't know. I'm sorry."

Claudia walked the few steps to Artie and hugged him. Without saying anything else, she walked out of the Reading Room.

Leena patted him on the arm. "I'll bring the linens so you can make up your bed on the couch." She left the room, too.

Myka studied Artie's tired face. He moved slowly and slouched even more than usual.

"Are you sure you want to sleep down here? We could make room upstairs." She looked at the doorway into the Meeting Room. "I mean, do you feel comfortable down here, considering all that's happened?"

Artie glanced toward the other room. "Because Mrs. Frederic died here? Because she died in our Meeting Room, where we eat breakfast?" He sighed. "It won't bother me, because I'll be sound asleep. Anyway, I've told you before. There's no such thing as ghosts. Get some sleep, Myka."

She hugged him briefly and headed upstairs.


	10. Ch 10

_edited June 5, 2013, for clarity & continuity - I gave actor Eddie McClintock's artistic abilities to his character, Pete, so he can draw detailed sketches._

* * *

.

In her bedroom, Myka put on a nightshirt and her most comfortable sweatpants. She heard Claudia moving something heavy in her room across the hallway. W_hat's Claudia up to, at this hour?_

She went out into the hall and found Claudia's door open and more than one of her lights on. Myka could see that Claudia had pushed the dresser over next to her desk. She watched as Claudia hefted her new printer out of its box and set it on the dresser.

Myka cleared her throat.

"Hey, I was setting up our field office," Claudia said.

She noted Claudia was still fully dressed and had her jacket on. "Don't you want to get some sleep first?" Myka leaned against the doorway.

"I'm not sleepy." Claudia opened another box on the floor. "Thanks again for buying the hardware. All this stuff adds up to serious money. Are you sure you don't want to return some of it?"

Myka yawned. "If we go back in time, you'll still have your hardware, and the entire Warehouse office. Then I won't have those expenses on my credit card, because I didn't buy the hardware."

"Excellent," Claudia said.

Pete walked up the hall wearing his "Iron Shadow" T-shirt and some sweatpants.

He stood in the doorway next to Myka and surveyed Claudia's furniture and boxes. "I'm going to leave the hall light on," he said. "So, you know, if something happens, or you need more furniture moved, come and wake me up."

"Same here, Claudia," she said. "Wake me if you need anything."

Stepping out of the doorway, she pointed for Pete to go to his room. She followed him and stood in his doorway. "Tuck yourself into bed, and I'll go get your new art supplies."

She returned to his room carrying a small armload of paper and other packages, and wearing a pen over her ear.

Pete sat up in bed with a pillow for a backrest.

Myka set the supplies on the bed next to him. She picked up one notebook and sat down at the end of the bed, cross-legged, facing him.

"I'm writing you a note." She retrieved her pen from behind her ear. "Open your package of pencils."

He reached for the pencils and a sketchpad.

She finished writing, and tore out the page of paper. "OK, I'm going to need your signature. The written agreement says, 'I, Pete Lattimer, promise I will not leave the B&B unless I take Myka, Leena, or Claudia with me, especially if I'm going to pick up Chinese food.' Sign your name by the X."

Pete took the page from her and signed it.

"Put this reminder with your wallet and your keys. We've got your back." She tried to smile at him. "Anything you need, partner."

"Thanks," he said.

Myka cleared her throat. "OK, Mr. Sketch Artist. Next, I'm writing a list of things for you to draw, in case you can't sleep. Otherwise, you can start tomorrow. Please draw for me the Iron Shadow, in lifelike detail." She pointed at his T-shirt and wrote on the list.

"Also," she continued writing, "the Aztec Bloodstone Artifact, from our first assignment together."

Pete raised his eyebrow.

"And, I need a headshot of Gandalf the Grey, from 'The Lord of the Rings,' the movie version." She tore the page out and handed the list to him. She stood up and collected her office supplies. "OK, I've got to get some sleep now."

"Hey, we survived," he said. "We made it through one more day."

"Yes, we did, partner," she said. "See you in the morning."

.

* * *

.

In her room, Myka retrieved the two new photos and sat on the edge of her bed.

She decided not to look at Helena's picture. _ Must get some sleep, _she thought. _Plenty of time for regrets tomorrow. _Carefully she stashed Helena's picture in the drawer of her nightstand.

After one more look at the photo of young Claudia and Joshua, she laid the frame on top of the nightstand. She got under the covers and switched off her lamp.

Lying in the dark, Myka felt herself relax slightly. She yawned and hoped she could fall asleep quickly.

As she adjusted her head on the pillow, she glanced at her alarm clock and gasped. _The numbers on the timer._ Immediately she sat up and turned the lamp back on.

Her heart pounded rapidly as she stared at the digital numbers on the alarm clock that resembled the timer on the Artifact-Bomb. _Counting down to the end of the world._

With a shaky hand, Myka turned the clock around so it faced the wall. She took a deep breath and switched the lamp off again.

She lay back down, but her heartbeat was still racing. Her legs and back ached, so she turned over onto her side.

_Now I can't stop seeing the digital timer._ She pictured the Artifact-Bomb, encased in the clear box they could not open. _If only we'd had more time, we could have figured out a way to stop the bomb. _But even with only a few moments left, Helena discovered an effective way to save their lives.

_We need Helena to help us solve this puzzle._ _But she's not here. _She turned over to her other side.

_These life-and-death crises, all the time - this is too much. _Her sadness weighed heavily on her.

This same sadness and fear had pushed her to resign from the Warehouse, and she thought she'd left for good. Driving away from Warehouse 13 felt like the end for Agent Myka Bering.

She remembered how Pete and the others contacted her, asking her to come back to Warehouse 13. To come back home. Then Pete drove from Denver to Colorado Springs to ask her a few Shakespeare questions. Her answers gave them a lead on the Lost Folio Artifact. She followed Pete and Steve to Denver to assist on their case. Step by step, she made her way back to active duty.

She shifted her pillow under her head. _Did I work my way back to my friends? Or did they bring me home to Warehouse 13? _

She had never been out of touch with Pete and the others because they continued to contact her. They never assumed her departure was permanent. Maybe they saw clearly what took her longer to realize. Myka Bering truly belonged at Warehouse 13.

Even Mrs. Frederic contacted her, more than once, asking her to return. One night, Mrs. Frederic stunned Myka by suddenly appearing in the quiet "Bering and Sons" bookstore. Mrs. Frederic brought Helena to talk with her - Helena in hologram form.

Helena made the housecall at Mrs. Frederic's request. Then as a portable hologram, Helena worked on a crucial case, helping them recover Joshua's Trumpet.

_One step at a time, Helena came back to work for the Warehouse_. _After Sykes kidnapped her, Helena worked on one last mission as an agent for Warehouse 13._

Myka rubbed her eyes and blinked in the dark.

_Helena Wells belongs at Warehouse 13 just as much as I do,_ she thought. _My friends brought me back to the Warehouse because they knew I belonged here. We must bring Helena back where she belongs, too. _She took a deep breath. _But the mission to rescue her is going to be rough. _

She heard another noise from across the hall. _Why is Claudia moving more furniture? _She yawned and got out of bed.

Standing in the hallway, she saw the light under Claudia's closed bedroom door. She heard the new printer churning out pages.

Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open.

"Oh, hey," Claudia said. "Good, you're still awake. I want to show you something." She held up printed pages.

"Please, wait until tomorrow." Myka's back ached and she felt a bit lightheaded now. She reached up to feel her own forehead. "Tomorrow you can tell me. But we must get some sleep. Please."

Claudia looked disappointed.

"At least pretend like you need sleep," Myka said gently. "Change your clothes. Bring your pillow and a blanket into my room. You can sleep on my couch, if you want."

Claudia shrugged. "Yeah, all right."

Myka yawned as she returned to her bedroom. She walked over to the small couch and turned on the nearby floor-lamp. She got into her bed, turned off her bedside lamp, and promptly fell asleep.


	11. Ch 11

Myka awoke early the next morning when Leena opened her bedroom door and peeked in. She squinted at Leena and rubbed one eye.

"Where's Pete?" Leena whispered, and pointed at the couch.

Myka rose up on one elbow and glanced over at the couch. Claudia was asleep, curled up in a blanket, hugging her collection of picture frames. But instead of red, her hair was now jet-black.

_Claudia dyed all her hair black. Not a good sign, _she thought. She looked back at Leena worriedly.

Soft snoring startled them. They looked over toward another corner of her bedroom.

Near the wall that ran along the hallway, Pete lay sleeping on the floor, on the edge of the rug, with his pillow and blanket.

Leena nodded tiredly and closed the door.

As soon as Myka's head rested on the pillow again, she was asleep.

* * *

Much later, Myka awoke to the pleasing aroma of bacon. She turned over to look at Pete, but the floor was empty. She found a piece of paper folded in half, propped up on her nightstand.

Pete had written a note: "I'm in the kitchen helping Leena." That was Pete-speak for: "I will eat all the food myself."

Claudia was sound asleep on the couch.

Myka squinted at the sunlight from the window. _The sun shines, like it was an ordinary day. I wonder if we'll ever have an ordinary day again, _she thought. _Probably not. After all, we're Warehouse agents. _ She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. _Better get going_. _I have a puzzle to solve._

After Myka dressed, she went downstairs, hoping to find some food Pete left untouched.

In the kitchen, Leena stood beside the counter, finishing the last bite of eggs from her plate.

"I saved you some bacon." Leena pointed to a plate on top of the stove covered with aluminum foil. "I stashed a bit for Claudia, too. Or I can make more. We have plenty of eggs. The bowls of fruit are in the fridge."

Myka picked up her still-warm plate and uncovered the bacon with one scrambled egg. "Mmm, thank you," she said. "So Pete's already downstairs? How does he seem today?"

Leena handed her a fork. "For his breakfast plate, Pete took a small helping of eggs and only a few strips of bacon. That worries me."

"Me, too," she said. "I wonder how the black-haired Claudia will act today."

"Claudia's anger is greater than what I sensed when she first came to Warehouse 13," Leena said. "But considering all that happened yesterday, and the day before, it's a wonder any of us are even functional." She frowned. "Oh, Pete's also feeling superstitious."

"Superstitious? What do you mean?" Myka took a bottle of water off the kitchen counter.

"Pete figured he couldn't eat breakfast in the Meeting Room. He said it might be disrespectful, because that's where Mrs. Frederic died," Leena said. "He decided he could eat out on the back patio. To avoid walking through the Meeting Room, Pete went out the front door and walked all the way around the B&B to the patio."

Myka glanced around the kitchen. "Is that why you're in here? Are you superstitious about the Meeting Room, too?"

"Not superstitious. But I can't stop remembering Mrs. Frederic's sudden death right here in our house," Leena said.

"Eww, I hadn't thought of that," Myka said. "Sorry."

As she glanced around, some brightly-colored plastic caught her eye. Three large water guns were stacked on top of the refrigerator.

She pointed. "Are those Pete's toys?"

"A month ago, Pete bought Super Soakers for himself and Claudia and Steve. They planned to have water-gun fights," Leena said. "This morning, Pete asked me to donate them to the Univille Thrift Store. He worried if Claudia saw the water guns, they would make her sad. I'm going to stash them in the garage for now."

"We're in bad shape, aren't we?" Myka asked. "Claudia's devastated. Pete's so traumatized he wants to drink again. Artie's lost everything, except us. You saw people die, right here in our house. Do you think we'll ever recover?"

Leena studied Myka's face. Myka could not read her expression.

"Time will tell," Leena said slowly, her eyebrow furrowed in thought.

Myka wondered what Leena could see in her aura, but she decided she didn't want to know. "I'll go check on Pete. Thank you for the breakfast," she said. "Oh wait. Where is Artie?"

"He went into town to meet Mr. Kosan," Leena said. "What do you think their meeting means?"

"I think it means the Regents are going to be as unhelpful now as they were before we lost the Warehouse," Myka said bitterly.

* * *

As Myka walked through the B&B toward the French doors, she saw Pete sitting outside on one of the patio chairs.

_Pete said we take one day at a time. Sitting on the patio in the sunlight is good, _she reassured herself. _Eating food is good. So far, so good_.

Myka stepped onto the patio and sat in a chair facing him. She tried to smile. "Hey, partner. Thanks for not eating all the bacon."

Pete nodded as he sipped his coffee.

"Artie skipped out completely," he said. "That's why there's some left for you. He went to meet with Kosan. I'm not so sure they were going to eat breakfast. You know Artie will be cranky if he doesn't eat."

Myka glanced at the patio table. Pete's breakfast plate had two strips of bacon and only one scrambled egg, apparently untouched.

"No matter how cranky Artie is when he gets back, he's going to tell us everything he and Kosan talked about," she said. "We're not going to be kept in the dark again. Not when we're working on a case."

"We're not on a case," he said slowly. He shrugged. "The Warehouse is gone."

Myka watched him take a drink from his coffee cup. He sat still, with no sign of his hyperactive energy. _He's not acting like my partner, Pete._

"I was thinking about the Pocketwatch Artifact, and the case of the missing Warehouse," she said.

Pete's eyes got watery. "The Warehouse isn't missing, Myka. It's gone," he said hoarsely.

Myka bit her lip. She didn't want to push Pete too soon, or cause him any more pain.

On the other hand, she wanted to take the next step toward saving Warehouse 13.

_The Pocketwatch is our only option. The sooner we start, the better_. _But I need him to be on board with this. I need my partner. _

"You're right. The Warehouse is gone," she said. "Getting the Warehouse back will require a huge amount of effort. But we have to start somewhere. We figure out how this disaster happened, and figure out a way to fix it. We use the Pocketwatch to travel back in time and save the Warehouse."

Pete squinted at the backyard. "I can't see that happening right now. I see a big crater where the Warehouse is supposed to be. I see lots of smoke, and everything is gone. Maybe, in a week or so, the big picture will look different."

She stared down at her plate of food, hiding her tears of disappointment.

Pete quietly drank more coffee.

_I should have left Pete alone to eat his breakfast in peace. This sense of urgency is mine, not his._

Myka stood up to leave the patio. "Speaking of things looking different, Claudia dyed her hair jet black," she said. "Guess I'd better go wake her, to make sure she eats something."

As she stood there, Myka felt wobbly again.

_Another tremor? _She turned to look at her water bottle on the patio table. The liquid in the container sloshed gently.

"Do you feel that? Like something is shaking?" Pete glanced around the patio.

"Yes, it's a tremor, an aftershock," she said. The shaking sensation lasted only a few moments. Myka exhaled in relief.

Pete shrugged and took another drink of coffee. "Hey, I drew some of those pictures you asked for," he said. "They're upstairs in my room."

Myka picked up her water bottle. "Thanks, Pete. See you later."

Inside the B&B, Myka told Leena how depressed Pete seemed.

Leena planned to keep Pete occupied with activity. They would continue the clean-up around the B&B and start some repairs.

Myka took a plate of food for Claudia, and several bottles of water, and went upstairs.


	12. Ch 12

Upstairs in the B&B, Myka stood in the open bedroom doorway.

Claudia was awake and dressed all in black. Her new jet-black hair was strikingly dark against her pale complexion. She worked on her laptop as the printer cranked out another page.

"Knock, knock." Myka held out the plate. "Here, take this. It's your lunch." She sat down in the desk chair.

Claudia moved to sit on the bed with her plate in her lap.

"You changed your hair color," Myka said.

"I'd been thinking about black hair anyway." Claudia stared down at the plate of food. "I'd already bought the hair dye. Ready for a change. Practically everything else in our lives has changed. Why not change my hair, too?"

_Wearing black clothes is sign of mourning, _Myka thought. _Dark hair. Deep mourning. Dark depression. Dark view of the future? Maybe if I can keep Claudia's brain busy, today won't look quite so dark to her._

"So what did you want to tell me last night?" Myka asked.

"I was working on our case." Claudia poked at her food with a fork, and hesitantly tried a bite of the egg. "I started tracking down Walter Sykes. Specifically, I tracked his financial records." She pointed to a stack of printed pages.

Myka skimmed the first page. "What did you find out?"

"Some of his background we knew already. Walter Sykes was a wizard with numbers. He made a huge fortune in the hedge fund market. I found out Sykes had a knack for investing in technology, especially cutting-edge stuff." Claudia frowned. "But after looking over his financials, I have even more questions."

"Such as?"

"Sykes couldn't walk, right?" Claudia asked.

"Sykes wanted to walk again," Myka said. "That's why he was obsessed with getting back the Collodi Bracelet Artifact."

"But he was ultra-rich," Claudia said. "Sykes could afford the latest in medical technology. For example, some of the mechanized prosthetics are amazing. With an robotic exoskeleton helping him move his legs, he could regain some mobility, if not walk. But I couldn't find medical expenses related to his paralysis or to regaining mobility."

Claudia had eaten a few bites of her egg. She set the plate on the desk. "Plus, as an investor, Sykes could have funded promising ventures and experimental tech. But none of his investments include companies making cutting-edge medical advances. If Sykes was obsessed with walking again, why doesn't that show up in his financial statements?"

"He was obsessed with the Collodi Bracelet itself," Myka said. "His obsession was one of the artifact's side-effects. Jane Lattimer said the Bracelet damages the user's soul. Even though they snagged the artifact from Sykes when he was young, they were too late to prevent those terrible side-effects."

"OK, so he had an artifact-induced obsession," Claudia said. "But he had gazillions of dollars, too. While he was planning to steal the artifact, why not pursue real-world medical possibilities at the same time?"

"Because he knew the Collodi Bracelet would give him exactly what he wanted," Myka said. "But those are interesting questions you've raised. If Sykes was so single-minded about the artifact, as you discovered, then he wasn't just obsessed, he was certain. How could Sykes be so sure he could reacquire the Collodi Bracelet?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of squeaky brakes outside.

Claudia cocked her head. "Artie's back."

"I thought you were going to fix his brakes," Myka said.

"The noise works as an advanced-warning system," Claudia said. "Sometimes I like to know when Stormfront Artie is headed my way. The brakes can wait a little bit longer before I fix them."

Myka pointed over her shoulder toward the door. "I want to quiz Artie about his meeting with Kosan."

Claudia followed her downstairs.

They found Artie in the kitchen, glaring at the coffeemaker and grumbling.

Leena and Pete entered the kitchen. "We heard your arrival," Leena said to Artie.

"Loud and clear," Pete said. "I thought Claudia was going to fix your brakes."

Claudia shrugged. "It's on my list of 'Things To Do Today', right after time travel and stop the Bad Guy."

Artie scowled at Myka.

She noticed Pete did not respond to Claudia's quip.

"This pot of coffee is almost ready," Leena told Artie. "You and Pete will have to split it. Then I'll start another pot. How was breakfast with Mr. Kosan?"

"Breakfast? There was no breakfast," Artie said gruffly. "This was a critical emergency meeting. Mr. Kosan and I discussed the disaster and its enormous consequences."

"No breakfast?" Pete said. "Sounds like it didn't go well."

Artie sighed and his shoulders sank. "Not well at all."

"How soon can we use the Pocketwatch Artifact?" Myka asked. "When do we leave on our time-travel trip?"

"It's not that simple," Artie said.

"How is it not simple?" she asked. "We use the artifact to travel back in time and save the Warehouse."

Artie took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and put his glasses back on. "Mr. Kosan has already made his decision," he said. "We cannot use the Pocketwatch Artifact. No time travel."

For a moment, none of them moved.

Artie glanced at Myka. "I'm sorry."

Claudia's eyes filled with tears and she ran out of the kitchen.

A wave of sadness rolled over Myka. She clenched her jaw and tried not to cry. "Artie, we have to do something," she said hoarsely.

"I completely agree," he said. "I spent the entire meeting ranting about it. I used every reason I could think of. I argued that the risk is worth it, and Kosan should authorize me to use the Pocketwatch."

"What? No, you're not going by yourself," Myka said. "We're going back together, Artie."

She glanced at Pete, but he stood there, listening.

"Neither of us is going anywhere," Artie said. "Kosan said no time travel."

_Not going anywhere, _Myka repeated to herself. She froze.

_Oh, no. What if Artie gave the Pocketwatch to Kosan? If we don't have the artifact, we can never go back. _More tears ran down her face.

"Pete was right," she said. "Sykes won. We lost."

Myka felt her sadness deepen as she waited. Pete said nothing about going with her. He said nothing at all. _Pete has no intention of going with me to save the Warehouse._

"I'll have one more chance to talk to Kosan about this," Artie said. "The other Regents arrive here in Univille tomorrow. I'll make my arguments all over again to them. But don't get your hopes up. Kosan is more concerned about the risks than about any possible positive outcomes."

"The risk is worth the chance to save Helena, Steve, and Mrs. Frederic," Myka said. "What about Mrs. Frederic? What about those dead Regents? Doesn't Mr. Kosan want to save any of them?"

Artie pulled the Pocketwatch Artifact out of his jacket and looked at it. "I wish Mrs. Frederic were here."

_The Pocketwatch! _ She almost spoke when she saw the artifact, but she caught herself. _Artie still has it. The Pocketwatch is still here, within reach. I've got to get hold of the artifact, before Kosan confiscates it. _

"Mrs. Frederic might have persuaded Kosan to allow the time travel trip." Artie put the watch into his jacket. "She's the one who could give us the most reliable information about the Pocketwatch."

Artie glanced around the kitchen and through the doorway. "I'm a little surprised Mrs. Frederic hasn't popped up, like she used to do. It didn't matter where I was, in the office or down in the Warehouse. She could appear anywhere. One time, she popped up while I was outside fixing the Fish and the surprise nearly killed me."

He adjusted his glasses. "That reminds me, I've got to fix the Fish."

The others stared at him in silence.

"No, I have not lost my mind," he said. "The Fish can still be fixed, and I have a spare Fish-Fixer in the garage here."

Artie rubbed his beard, and mumbled to himself. "Trailer, he's still up the street at the Beckett's B&B, right? I'll take Trailer for a ride in the convertible."

"Oh, Leena, is the big rectangular cooler out in the garage?" he asked. "The one we used when we bought all the ice cream."

"Yes," Leena said. "I'll show you where to find it on the way out. Pete and I are going into Univille, to the hardware store. We need more supplies for our repair work around the house. Also, when you see the Becketts, make an appointment for Mr. Beckett to fix your brakes."

As Artie, Leena, and Pete walked out of the kitchen, Artie grumbled about being busy, but Leena cut him off.

"Your brakes need fixing, and Beckett's Auto Repair needs the work," Leena said.

Myka watched the others go out the front door. _I'll use the Pocketwatch and go alone if I have to. But two heads are better than one, especially if one of them is Claudia Donovan. _She went up the stairs to find Claudia.

_My mission is clear - snag the artifact, use the watch, and save Warehouse 13_. _I need an opportunity to snag the Pocketwatch._


	13. Ch 13

As Myka walked up the stairs, she heard loud music. _Angry music_. She didn't recognize the band, but she caught a few lyrics between the electric guitar riffs. _Furious music._

Myka pounded on Claudia's door.

"Artie, go away," Claudia shouted over the noise.

Myka pounded on the door again and opened it.

Claudia sat facing her desk and when she swiveled around in her office chair, she was surprised to see Myka. She switched off the music, but said nothing.

"Artie left to fix the Fish," Myka said calmly.

"The Regents don't want to save the Warehouse," Claudia shouted. "They don't even want to rescue anyone, to save people's lives. Myka, why aren't you furious?"

"I'm just as furious as you are, but shouting isn't going to bring anyone back. I'm going to use the Pocketwatch and save Warehouse 13. If our mission is going to succeed, it will rely on extensive planning and careful thought, not on fury."

"Our mission?" Claudia asked.

Myka nodded. "Ours. But first, I want to blow off some steam," she said. "I'm going out to the canyon for some target practice. It helps me focus. Why don't you come with me? Use my Tesla and zap all the rocks."

Claudia shrugged.

Myka went to her room to collect her pistol and the boxes of cartridges. As she stood at her dresser, she felt wobbly again and thought the floor moved slightly.

"Claudia?" Myka called out.

"Yeah, I feel that," Claudia called back. "That's another tremor."

After a moment, the shaking stopped.

Myka sighed with relief. _Where was I? _ She looked around her bedroom and spotted her Tesla on the nightstand.

She paused for a moment, picked up the Tesla, and went back to Claudia's room.

"Hey, Claudia," she said.

Claudia sat in her chair, waiting.

"I was about to ask a silly question," Myka said. "I wondered how we'll recharge the Teslas now that the Warehouse is gone. But then I remembered. You're Claudia Donovan, so, of course, you'll find some way to recharge them. Silly me."

Claudia moved and knelt beside her bed. From underneath her bed, she slid out a long box and opened the lid. "Also, I have spares," she said.

Myka surveyed the large stash of equipment: three Teslas, two Tesla Grenades, and one Tesla Rifle, which accounted for the length of the box, static bags, and other supplies.

Another piece of metallic equipment caught Myka's eye and she gasped.

"Is that Helena's Grappler Gun?" she asked. "But I lost her Grappler when we rescued those Regents from the office building."

"This is a copy of H.G.'s gun." Claudia handed the Grappler to her. "I built some new ones, right after you put the original in storage."

Myka studied the Grappler as a few tears ran down her face.

"Sorry." Claudia stood up. "Didn't mean to upset you."

"Claudia, this means just as much to me as the old photograph. The Grappler is positive proof. Proof that Helena was a genius," she said. "Proof of your genius, too."

"You keep the Grappler," Claudia said. "Add it to your collection of proof."

Myka hugged her tightly. "You are my favorite Warehouse agent." When she let go of Claudia, she added, "But don't tell Pete, OK?"

Claudia laughed a moment and wiped her own tears away.

Myka glanced around the room. "Now I'm curious. What else do you have stashed away in here?" She pointed to the stacks of cardboard boxes in one corner. "Are those your physics books?"

"Yeah, and all of Joshua's research about the Rheticus Compass," Claudia said. "I have a bunch of Joshua's other stuff, too."

Myka remembered how Claudia's old apartment looked like an office. Notes, charts, diagrams, and photos covered the walls where she researched her brother's disastrous teleportation experiment.

"May I borrow one of your books?" Myka asked. "I'd like to look up something about Rheticus."

"Sure," Claudia said. "But the boxes aren't labeled. We'll have to dig a little."

Sitting on the floor, they each opened a box and sorted through the contents.

Claudia opened another box. She found a folder of papers and browsed through her old notes. "Years of my life are in these boxes. Then for 2 years, I spent every day trying to figure out how an antique compass made my brother vanish into thin air." She held up a piece of paper.

Myka recognized the pencil sketch of the Rheticus Compass Artifact. _A powerful artifact, _she thought. _Finding Claudia was one of our earliest cases. _

"In a way, you've been a Warehouse agent for a long time," Myka said.

"What do you mean?" Claudia sorted through more paper.

"You wanted to rescue your brother from the dangerous effects of a powerful artifact," Myka said. "You tracked down Artie. You found Warehouse 13. You rescued Joshua and snagged the artifact. Finding the Rheticus Compass was your first mission as a Warehouse agent."

"No wonder I feel so old and tired." Claudia found an old photo and held it up. "Not as old as Artie, though."

Myka recognized young Artie Nielsen, from the 1970s. "Leave that out. We'll find someplace to hang up his picture."

Claudia opened a box and pulled out a worn book. "Is this the one about Rheticus?"

"Yes, that's it. Thank you." Myka turned the pages, looking for the poem she'd read about rules. _Time to change the rules, _she reminded herself.

Claudia opened another box. "This is some of Joshua's old stuff." She lifted out an old cigar box. "Assorted antique Donovan stuff." She opened the lid and poked her finger through the contents.

"Uh, Myka," Claudia said.

Myka skimmed the Rheticus book, turning the pages. "Hmm?"

Claudia chose a small object from the cigar box and held it up. "Does this look familiar?"

Myka looked up from her book and gaped.

Claudia held an antique pocketwatch. "Looks like the artifact, don't you think?"

"Quite similar," Myka said. But her thoughts raced ahead with an idea.

Claudia went on talking. "It's from my great-grandfather, or great-great-grandfather? I don't know. Some old relative handed down his pocketwatch as a Donovan family heirloom. Joshua kept it in his stuff. While Joshua was gone, I kept all his stuff."

Claudia studied the watch-face. "While Artie talked last night, I got a closer look at the artifact. I didn't remember seeing the Pocketwatch in Warehouse 13, but I thought the watch looked kind of familiar. Now I know why. I guess most of these antique pocketwatches look alike."

_Antique pocketwatches look alike,_ Myka repeated to herself. _The Pocketwatch Artifact and the Donovan watch look alike. I can swap the watches, and Artie won't notice. I can snag the Pocketwatch. _


	14. Ch 14

Myka and Claudia sat among the boxes they had unpacked in Claudia's bedroom.

Myka heard car brakes squeak to a halt. "Artie's back. I have more questions for him." She glanced at Claudia's heirloom watch, and at the folders of research.

"Why don't we put away this stuff, and your extra Teslas." She tried to behave calmly and handed the Grappler to Claudia. "I don't want Artie to see this old stuff and maybe get distracted. We want him focused on our mission to save the Warehouse."

Claudia put the watch back into the cigar box and set all of it into the large cardboard box. She pushed her Tesla stash back under her bed.

Myka put the other books away. She took the book about Rheticus into her bedroom and put it into her nightstand drawer.

Downstairs, the front door opened with a bang, and another bang.

"What is Artie bumping into?" she said as she met Claudia in the hallway.

As they went down the stairway, they heard Artie grumbling.

In the front hallway, Artie leaned against the railing at the bottom of the steps, trying to catch his breath. He wiped the sweat off his forehead. On the floor sat a large blue rectangular cooler, taped shut, with several loops of duct tape around its middle.

Artie's labored breathing worried Myka. She directed him to sit down in the Reading Room, and he did not argue.

"Bring the cooler," he said.

Claudia ran to the kitchen to fetch a glass of cold water.

Myka picked up the cooler, and was surprised by its light weight. Something inside the cooler moved and bumped against the container. She set it on the floor in front of Artie.

"Is something moving around inside?" she asked.

Artie nodded and propped his foot on the top of the cooler. The thing inside bumped against the cooler again.

Claudia returned with the glass of water. Artie quickly took a drink.

Claudia pointed at the cooler wrapped shut with duct tape. "It needs a sign: 'Do not touch.' What have you got inside that you don't want to share? Gallons of Rocky Road ice cream?"

The thing inside the cooler bumped twice.

"Whoa," Claudia said.

"I took Trailer with me, back to the Warehouse floor," Artie said. "I was hoping he could locate and fetch an artifact for me. A month ago, when the Scarab Beetle Artifact got loose inside the Warehouse, Trailer found it and brought it back."

"And today?" Myka asked.

"Snagged and triple-bagged," Artie said.

"Why were you out collecting artifacts?" she asked.

"Mr. Kosan ordered me to. He wanted me to look for several artifacts in the Warehouse wreckage and, if possible, recover them. The Scarab was the artifact I thought I could actually find."

"Why the Scarab?" Claudia asked. "What does it do?"

Artie drank more water. "The Scarab Artifact dates back to Imhotep, the Egyptian architect, in the 27th century B.C. The ancient Egyptians believed scarabs had resurrection powers. But this Scarab is not related to resurrecting people."

Myka frowned. "What's it for? What is Kosan up to?"

"Kosan thinks the Scarab Artifact is connected to the life, the aliveness, of Warehouse 2. He thinks there's the possibility the Scarab could resurrect the Warehouse."

"The Scarab could bring back the Warehouse?" Claudia asked. "Resurrect Warehouse 13?"

"Not the building itself," he said. "More like jumpstarting, or rebooting, the aliveness of the Warehouse. Even if the Scarab worked, we'd still need a new building."

Myka crossed her arms. "If Kosan wants to build a new warehouse, that means Warehouse 13 is gone for good."

She paced around the Reading Room. "I can't believe it." She glared back at him. "You've already given up, haven't you? Artie, we cannot give up. We can use the Pocketwatch Artifact, and go back, and save their lives. We can fix this."

"I'm your physics consultant. I'm going with you," Claudia said. She moved to stand beside Myka and crossed her arms.

Artie looked up at them and sighed tiredly. "No, I have not given up. I want to save Mrs. Frederic, and Steve and H.G., just as much as you do."

"Then why are you so reluctant?" Myka asked.

"The precise word is 'cautious,'" he said. "I am cautious about using a powerful artifact." He looked at them sternly. "I am reluctant to risk the lives of the people I care about."

Artie drank the last of his water. "About the Pocketwatch. I remembered a bit more information, stories about Warehouse agents who tried to use the Pocketwatch Artifact to travel back in time."

"Tried?" Claudia asked.

"Tried and failed," he said. "Sometimes, an agent couldn't time-travel at all. For example, two agents standing together activated the watch, but only one agent left. The second agent was still standing there in the present time. He didn't travel anywhere, as if the Pocketwatch wouldn't accept that particular person."

Artie rubbed his forehead. "On another trip, two agents left together, but when they arrived at their location, in the past, one of the agents was dead."

"Dead? As in, dead on arrival?" Myka asked.

"The time-travel trips weren't consistent," he said. "On different attempts, different things happened in the course of the trip. Maybe that's why the background information about the Pocketwatch seems inconsistent, too. Not only is the artifact powerful and dangerous, it's also unpredictable."

Myka and Artie both turned to stare at Claudia.

"Yeah, I get it. Dangerous and unpredictable," Claudia said. "But that means it's dangerous for you guys, too. You need me, for back-up. Strength in numbers, hit the ground running, all that team stuff. I'm going. Plus, we go back far enough in time to save Steve."

"Then that's the big question, isn't it?"Artie said to Myka. "How far back in time is far enough, to fix everything we want to fix?"

Claudia and Myka discussed all the people who needed to be rescued, all the deaths that needed to be undone. How far back in time would they go?

Back before Sykes and Marcus killed Steve. Before Sykes captured Emily Lake and the Janus Coin, thus kidnapping H.G. Wells. Before Steve went undercover and worked for Sykes at all. Before the Regents were trapped on the 40th floor of an office building and Regent Phillip was killed. Before Regent Theodora was tortured for information and murdered. Before Sykes killed the first Regent and began his vendetta.

As they moved their time-destination farther and farther back, Artie said nothing.

"Before Helena used the Minoan Trident at Yellowstone," Myka said gravely. "Before MacPherson debronzed her in the first place. We could go back, and we could be the ones to debronze Helena."

Claudia gasped. "Joshua! We could go back, and stop Joshua from ever using the Rheticus Compass. Then he would never have been lost for all those years."

Artie did not speak.

Claudia realized Myka and Artie were staring at her. She burst into tears. "It's impossible, isn't it? To fix everything?" she asked bitterly.

After several moments of silence, Myka asked, "How far back, Artie?"

Artie spoke hoarsely. "I can think of two rather short trips that would make a big difference. Plan B: If we went back 14 days, Steve, Mrs. Frederic, and H.G. Wells are automatically alive again. Marcus hasn't captured Emily Lake or the Janus Coin yet. We can get Steve out of his undercover operation, and we can get H.G. Wells back. Then we can prevent Sykes from breaking into Warehouse 13."

"Can't we go back any farther?" Myka asked.

Artie nodded. "Better yet is Plan A. If we went back 29 days, Steve, Mrs. Frederic, and H.G. Wells are automatically alive again. Three Regents are also alive again - Theodora, Phillip, and Lok Archer."

"Steve never quits Warehouse 13," Claudia said.

"And we can get Helena out of the Janus Coin," Myka said, "before Sykes gets anywhere near Emily Lake."

Myka heard the SUV pulling into the driveway outside the B&B. _Pete and Leena are coming back, _she thought.

Suddenly, she felt a great sense of urgency to make the time-travel trip. Her instincts told her not to wait any longer.

Myka stood up and faced Claudia and Artie.

"We have our plan to travel back in time. Let's go," she said.

Artie gaped at her. "What?"

"Let's go now," Myka said. "We'll use the Pocketwatch Artifact and rescue our people. Please, Artie. Let's go right now."


	15. Ch 15

Myka stood in the Reading Room as she and Claudia waited for Artie's response. She wanted to leave on their time-travel trip before Pete and Leena came back into the B&B.

"We'll use the Pocketwatch Artifact now and rescue our people. Please, Artie. Let's go right now," she said.

Myka heard their SUV doors slam shut. _Pete and Leena are walking in._ She shouted in frustration, "Artie!"

Artie rubbed his beard nervously, but said nothing.

A few moments later, the front door opened.

In the doorway of the Reading Room stood Regent Adwin Kosan.

_Oh, no. _ Myka's heart pounded. _We should have left when we had the chance. _

Artie scrambled to stand up from the couch. "Mr. Kosan, I had some success." He pointed at the cooler strapped shut with duct tape.

"Good," Kosan said.

Kosan nodded to Myka in acknowledgement. She nodded back.

Claudia said, "Excuse me," as she ran past Kosan and up the stairs.

Myka crossed her arms. _What if Kosan wants to take the Pocketwatch?  
_

Kosan handed Artie a stack of folders. "These are the files to review before the Regents meet tomorrow," Kosan said. "We can discuss our ideas about the future of the Warehouse then."

Artie nodded and took the folders.

"Now about another matter," Kosan said.

Myka held her breath. _Please don't take the Pocketwatch away. Please._

"We felt two tremors today," Kosan said. "Are these tremors related to the explosion at Warehouse 13?"

"Yes," Artie said. "Unfortunately, the explosion produced enough force equivalent to an earthquake. Earthquakes often produce aftershocks, which may continue for quite some time. That's why we're feeling the tremors."

"How concerned should we be?" Kosan asked.

"I've contacted the seismologists in Colorado," Artie said. "They are monitoring the situation."

"Good," Kosan said. His cellphone rang. "I must go, Agent Nielsen. I'll be in touch." He left the B&B.

Artie sat down on the couch and exhaled. He leaned forward and held his head in his hands. The large rectangular cooler on the floor next to him bumped against his foot.

"Why, Artie?" Myka asked. "Why can't we use the Pocketwatch? Why can't we leave now?"

He looked up at her wearily. "Because I'm afraid."

Myka said nothing as she sat down beside him.

"I told you before," he said quietly. "I am reluctant to risk the lives of the people I care about." He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "After everything that's happened, I don't want to lose you too, Myka. I couldn't bear to lose Claudia."

Myka heard the SUV arrive outside the B&B and the sound of car doors shutting. "I'm afraid, too," she said. "But I can't let my fear stop me from trying to undo these disasters."

Pete and Leena entered the B&B and walked into the Reading Room.

"Hey, whatcha got in the cooler?" Pete said. "Anything in the dessert category?"

The cooler bumped against Artie's foot.

"Did that cooler move?" Pete asked. "What's in there?"

"The Scarab Artifact that got loose in the Warehouse," Artie said. "Trailer helped me find it."

Leena glanced around. "Where is Trailer?"

"When I returned home, Trailer hopped out of the car and ran back toward the Beckett's B&B," Artie said.

Pete pointed toward the Meeting Room and nodded. "Trailer's afraid." He whispered, "Trailer doesn't want to bother Mrs. Frederic."

Myka moved to stand near Pete and Leena. "Mrs. Frederic cannot hear you," Myka said.

Leena smiled at Pete. "Actually, Mrs. Frederic can hear you, Pete, even if you whisper."

Pete frowned at both of them. "I'm gonna go outside and fix some stuff."

* * *

Upstairs, Myka stopped in front of Claudia's bedroom door. With a marker, Claudia had written a sign in large letters, "Warehouse 13-C."

She knocked on the door.

"Warehouse agents only," Claudia called out.

Myka opened the door. "13-C?"

"C is for Claudia." She swiveled around in her office chair. "This is my Warehouse office. We are Warehouse agents, aren't we?" she said. "So why is our case going nowhere? Why are we going nowhere, Myka?"

Myka sighed. "Artie's afraid about using such an unpredictable artifact. He wants to protect us, because he cares about us. That's actually a pretty good reason, you know."

Claudia shrugged.

"At least Kosan didn't confiscate the Pocketwatch," Myka said.

"I hadn't thought of that," Claudia said. "Now we have something else to worry about."

"Kosan was worried mainly about the tremors," Myka said. "Since the explosion was big enough to destroy the entire Warehouse, we may be feeling its side-effects for quite awhile."

Claudia stared at Myka with a sad expression.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

"No," Claudia said gently, "but you brought up the subject, and I need more information. You wanted my ideas about the explosion, about the Artifact-Bomb."

Myka's heart sank. _I don't want to think about the end_.

"Here, sit down on the bed." Claudia pulled out her pillows for Myka to use as a backrest. Myka sat down, kicked off her shoes, and put her feet up.

From under her bed, Claudia slid out her long box of extra equipment and retrieved the Grappler, which she handed to Myka. From the stuff on her desk, she found her copy of the H.G. Wells photo and handed it to Myka.

"Positive proof," Claudia reminded her. "We can solve this puzzle. But I'll need to know what happened in the Warehouse."

Tears came to Myka's eyes. "I'm not sure where to start."

"How about we start with the artifact itself, the bomb?" Claudia held up her hands as if she were holding a sphere. "Was it like, bowling-ball sized?"

"No, it was a box, rectangular, and the artifact was inside, with a timer."

Claudia sorted through the stuff on her desk, found a measuring tape, and pulled out the tape to measure the length of her laptop for comparison.

Myka estimated the dimensions of the box as Claudia wrote down some notes.

"You saw the timer?" Claudia asked.

"Yes, it was a digital timer, inside the box. We could see the timer because the box was made from some kind of clear material, like a thick plastic."

"But you guys couldn't open it, right?" Claudia asked.

"No. In the Ovoid Quarantine, Artie tried using several tools, including one of your mini-drills. Pete even tried using the blowtorch. Nothing made a scratch on the box."

"Can't be opened, can't be scratched," Claudia said. "Sounds like artifact properties."

"You mean the container itself was an artifact?" Myka asked. "That would explain why we couldn't open it. Artie put the whole container into the Purple Goo, but the Goo didn't touch the contents, or neutralize anything."

Claudia went into Myka's room and returned carrying a large sketchpad. From Myka's notes, Claudia sketched the dimensions of the box.

Myka described and estimated the size of the artifact, a fragment from the British House of Parliament that was damaged when the Nazi Luftwaffe bombed London during the Blitzkrieg. As Myka directed, Claudia sketched in the artifact itself, the digital timer, and the connecting wires.

Myka looked at the timer in the sketch. "We ran out of time." _Helena ran out of time_, she thought. "Maybe we should have tried to neutralize the artifact while we were still near the Portal. I don't know."

"Why did you take the bomb all the way over to the Ovoid Quarantine?" Claudia asked.

Myka wiped a tear from her eye. "Artie hoped the Quarantine might lessen some of the explosive power. Obviously, that didn't work, either. The minutes we spent getting to the Quarantine were minutes we lost on the timer countdown."

"What about the Portal? I didn't even know we had another back door," Claudia said.

"Artie didn't know about the ancient Regent Sanctum, so he had no idea there was a Portal connection to the Warehouse," Myka said. "We had no way of knowing Sykes's trip to Hong Kong threatened Warehouse 13 directly."

Claudia put her pencil behind her ear. "If Artie didn't know about the Top Secret Sanctum or the Top Secret Portal, then how did Sykes know?"

"That may be the biggest mystery of all," Myka said. "Maybe bigger than the question of how to stop the Artifact-Bomb from exploding." She frowned. "After we identified Sykes as the one behind the Regents' deaths, and after Marcus used the DeMille Crop in the woods to take the Janus Coin, I've been wondering. I'm still wondering. How did Sykes get so many artifacts?"

"Sykes had a fortune," Claudia said. "He could certainly afford to buy anything he wanted."

"Yes, but here in your office," Myka said, "we're asking this question from a different angle. Before Sykes could get the artifacts, he had to know about the artifacts. Before he could locate the Regent Sanctum and the Portal, he had to know the ancient Sanctum even existed. So how did Walter Sykes get so much Top Secret Warehouse information?"

"On our time travel trip, we'll get there early," Claudia said. "We'll have a big headstart against Sykes. We'll have plenty of time to rescue Steve and H.G. Then we can track Sykes, follow the paper trail, and figure out how he pulled this off." She shrugged, "But for now, we can't dig up the Top Secret info. The Warehouse files are gone."

_Files,_ Myka thought. She remembered seeing Kosan give a stack of folders to Artie. _Files to review_. _I wonder what's in those files? _


	16. Ch 16

That night, Myka was asleep in her bed, but her mind was busily dreaming. She glimpsed faces and heard phrases of conversation, but her dreams skipped from one subject to another. Moments of memory seemed to brush past her quickly, like standing outside on a breezy day. Then her dream grew still and quiet.

Myka dreamed she was sleeping in her bed. When she heard her name, she opened her eyes.

Mrs. Frederic stood inside Myka's bedroom and looked at her calmly.

Myka rose up on one elbow and glanced around her bedroom. She assumed she was dreaming, but Myka could not ignore the imposing figure of Mrs. Frederic.

"This is a dream?"

_"It's time to get up, Myka. It's time to go," _Mrs. Frederic said.

She felt so tired physically, but she tried to focus on Mrs. Frederic's words.

"Where am I going?" Myka asked.

_"Back to the beginning," _Mrs. Frederic said. _"Find Claudia."_

Mrs. Frederic's words startled her, and Myka woke up to find herself still lying in her bed. Gasping, she sat up quickly and switched on the lamp. But she was alone in her room.

"OK," Myka said aloud. With one hand, she held her throat, and tried to catch her breath. "Mrs. Frederic is dead. She's dead, but she's still doing her suddenly-appearing thing. Great." Nervously she looked around the room for a few more moments. She got out of bed to check on Claudia.

The hall light was on, but the hallway was empty. Myka saw the lights in Claudia's bedroom shining under the closed door. She heard Claudia's new printer churning out more pages. _Sounds normal, _she thought.

Myka paused and looked toward the stairway. She decided to go downstairs and check on Artie first. _I hope Mrs. Frederic's ghost isn't visiting every single one of us_. _We need a good night's sleep._

Quietly she walked down the stairs and peeked into the front hallway. To her relief, she heard Artie snoring.

_Artie told us before, there's no such thing as ghosts, _she thought. _He'll be irritated if Mrs. Frederic proves him wrong. _

As she walked into the Reading Room, Myka saw Artie asleep in a jumble of blankets on the couch. He snored loudly. His glasses still sat on the top of his head.

Myka glanced down at the coffee table. The file folders Artie had been reading were spread out on the table.

She stepped closer to look down at the folders. They were labeled: Walter Sykes, Marcus Diamond, Regent Theodora Stanton, Regent Lok Archer, Myka Bering, and Pete Lattimer.

Myka's curiosity overwhelmed her caution._ The Regents keep too many secrets from us, their own agents. Change the rules_. She looked back at Artie, who snored steadily. She picked up all the folders except Pete's. Quietly she walked out of the Reading Room and back up the stairs.

As Myka stepped softly in the empty upstairs hallway, Claudia's bedroom door swung open.

"Hey," Claudia whispered.

Myka jumped and almost dropped the file folders.

"Oh, Claudia," she laughed nervously.

She entered Claudia's bedroom and closed the door. "You're not asleep. Everything OK here?" She glanced around. _You didn't happen to see Mrs. Frederic, did you?_

"I'm OK. Why aren't you asleep?" Claudia asked.

_Because Mrs. Frederic woke me up_. She wasn't sure how to tell Claudia about her dream.

Claudia pointed at the folders Myka carried. "Whatcha got?"

"I borrowed some files Artie got from Kosan. Files I'm probably not supposed to read," Myka said. "I'm guessing these are background files, on two of the Regents, and on Walter Sykes and Marcus Diamond."

Claudia's expression turned angry at the mention of Sykes and Marcus. "I can barely stand to hear the Bad Guys' names," she said. "But if you can stand to read those files, maybe we can learn more about what happened."

"Yeah, but it's late, and I'm tired," Myka said. "I don't want to read any files tonight. I want to photocopy everything now, and put the files back before Artie wakes up."

"A covert operation." Claudia arched one of her eyebrows. "I approve of this plan."

Using the photocopy function, Myka fed the pages of paper into the printer. She found a few photos included in the files.

Wary of looking at any photos, Claudia used the flat-bed scanner and saved the photo-files to print out later. Quickly they copied every piece of information and reassembled the contents of the file folders.

"Want me to sneak back downstairs with the folders?" Claudia said.

Myka paused. _Mrs. Frederic was concerned about Claudia for some reason. Maybe I should think about minimizing Claudia's risks instead of pulling her into more conflicts._

"No, I'll go," she said. "Artie's so exhausted from the past few days, he sleeps soundly. But if one of us gets in trouble with the Regents, I want to be the one breaking the rules."

* * *

The next morning, Myka awakened to the first ray of sunlight and the sound of snoring.

Myka turned over in her bed and squinted at Pete. He lay sleeping on her bedroom rug again, with his pillow and blanket.

She saw Claudia had also returned to sleep on her couch. _Claudia is right here, safe and sound. No more visits from Mrs. Frederic, either, _she thought. _I hope that's a good sign._

Quietly, Myka got up and found some clothes. She went into Claudia's still-dark room and changed.

Downstairs, Myka found Leena's note - she and Artie had gone into Univille. Leena also left a list of available food and leftovers. Myka chose a breakfast bar and a bottle of water and returned to Claudia's office upstairs.

This time, Myka flipped on the light in Claudia's room, and stopped in surprise.

On her bedroom wall, Claudia had taped up the sketch of the Artifact-Bomb. Underneath the sketch, she had written in marker, "WW2 Fragment Artifact."

Other pages had been posted around the sketch, with questions written in marker.

"Container = artifact material?"

"Neutralize Artifact-Bomb?"

"Turn off digital timer?"

Another sketch showed the Pocketwatch Artifact with Roman numerals on its face. Claudia wrote above the sketch, "WW2 Pocketwatch Artifact."

Myka looked back at Claudia's sketch of the Artifact-Bomb. _Both artifacts date back to World War 2. Excellent observation, Agent Donovan._ She found a marker, more paper, and tape. _The good guys won World War 2_. _We can win our Warehouse war this time._

Myka wrote out more questions and notes.

"How did Sykes find Top Secret Warehouse information?

"Where did Sykes get all those artifacts?"

She unwrapped her breakfast bar and took a bite. She wrote more signs.

"How did Sykes find Regents?"

"Why didn't death of first Regent trigger PING?"

"How did Sykes know WH13 existed?"

On another piece of paper, Myka drew a simple profile for Sykes - a big oval for a head, with two lines down to the corner to represent shoulders. Inside the oval head, she drew a big question mark. At the bottom of the page, she wrote in large letters, "Walter Sykes."

Myka remembered Pete had drawn pictures at her request. She took the pictures from Pete's room and brought them back into Claudia's office. On Pete's drawing of Gandalf from "Lord of the Rings," she wrote underneath the portrait, "Caturanga = WH12."

She wrote a few more signs and taped them on the wall around the Caturanga picture.

"How did Sykes find Regent Sanctum?"

"How did Sykes know chess game-puzzle opened Portal?"

"How did Sykes know Helena existed?"

She stared at the sketch of the Pocketwatch Artifact again. _With time travel, we can undo this disaster. But first, I've got to snag the Pocketwatch. _

She went to the stack of large cardboard boxes. She located the one with the cigar box inside and retrieved the Donovan family pocketwatch. _All the antique pocketwatches look alike_. She studied the Roman numerals on the watch-face. _ If I have the Pocketwatch, I'm guaranteed to go on the time-travel trip. If I have the artifact, the Regents can't prevent me from going. _

Myka put the Donovan pocketwatch into her jeans pocket. _I can go back and change what happened. Change the past. Change the rules._


	17. Ch 17

Quietly Myka returned to her room while Claudia and Pete were still asleep. Over her T-shirt, she put on a casual suit-jacket because it had an interior pocket. She glanced at Pete. _Keep snoring, partner. _

With her back to the others, she took Claudia's old pocketwatch out of her jeans and stashed it inside her jacket. Later she would look for an opportunity to swap the heirloom watch for the Pocketwatch Artifact.

Myka picked up a notebook, some pens, and a pad of Post-It Notes. Gently she closed her bedroom door behind her. Returning to Claudia's room, she opened another file to read more background information about the dead Regents.

Later, Myka heard Pete go downstairs. In Claudia's office, she looked at the pictures Pete had drawn at her request. Two of his drawings represented past missions. _Positive proof that we solve our cases, most of the time_.

Underneath the portrait of the Aztec Bloodstone artifact, Myka wrote, "Our first artifact = my favorite." Pete liked to tease her that the Bloodstone was his first artifact, and not hers.

Underneath the portrait of Pete's favorite comic book hero, the Iron Shadow, she wrote him a note. "Agent Pete Lattimer is an extraordinary partner. Sincerely, Agent Myka Bering. P.S. Thank you for not wearing your trunks on the outside of your clothes."

She looked up at Claudia's sketch, taped to the wall, of the Artifact-Bomb. _I can't believe I'm going on a mission this important without Pete. It feels wrong. _She sighed tiredly. _But he acts like Warehouse 13 is gone forever. Why doesn't he want to fix this? Maybe if I talk to him again, I can change his mind. _

Myka went into Pete's room and taped the two drawings to the mirror over his dresser.

Back in Claudia's room, she wrote another sign and taped it to the bedroom door, underneath the sign for "Warehouse 13-C." Myka's new sign stated, "Solving puzzles, saving the day."

* * *

After noon, Myka still sat at the desk in Claudia's office, reading the copied files and making notes. She looked over the few file photos she'd printed from Claudia's laptop. Myka heard Claudia's footsteps in the hallway.

Claudia called, "Hey," as she opened her bedroom door. "Whoa." She scanned the increased number of signs and notes covering the bedroom wall. "You've been busy."

Myka nodded. "We've made excellent progress."

Claudia carried a plate with some fruit and a hard-boiled egg. She sat on her bed, next to the desk. "What's next?"

"I should probably start with the news from last night," Myka said.

"We got the files last night. Did you find something?" Claudia asked.

"Something happened before we copied the files," Myka said. "It's the reason I was up late. Remember my new rule about 'no more secrets'?"

"Yeah." Claudia took a bite from the egg.

"I didn't mean to keep a secret, but I wasn't sure how to tell you before," Myka said. "Last night, while I slept, Mrs. Frederic came to talk to me."

"You had a dream about Mrs. Frederic?"

"Not exactly, no. Actually, I would have preferred a regular dream," Myka said. "What I mean is, Mrs. Frederic appeared in my room because she wanted to talk to me. But I was asleep when she showed up."

Claudia's eyes widened. "Whoa."

"What about you?" Myka asked. "Did you dream about Mrs. Frederic? Or did you see her, you know, upstairs here?"

Claudia slowly shook her head. "No. I am so glad she did not want to talk to me. That's kinda scary, and I really can't handle any scariness right now." She frowned. "I wonder if Mrs. Frederic talked to Artie. Maybe she realized the surprise might kill the old-timer, and that's why she picked you."

"After my dream woke me up and I went downstairs, I saw Artie on the couch, sound asleep. So he probably didn't see her."

"What did she want to talk about?" Claudia asked.

"Mrs. Frederic said it was time to go back to the beginning," Myka said.

"Go back? Do you think Mrs. F was talking about time travel?"

"Maybe," Myka said, "but then she mentioned you."

"Me? OK, that's scary," she said nervously. "Secondhand scary, but still scary." She took a deep breath. "Give me the bad news. What did she say? Does she still want me to be the Warehouse Caretaker? Because I don't see how I can be the Caretaker without an actual Warehouse."

"Caretaker? Wait. What?" Myka asked.

"Oh, well, back during all the mayhem." Claudia stopped and stared at her. "During an unpleasant episode in our recent past." She bit her lip.

"What are you talking about? Unpleasant, mayhem." Myka quickly reviewed their biggest missions. "Oh, are you talking about Helena? Go ahead, it's OK."

Claudia sighed. "Remember when Warehouse 2 came back online and started jamming up Mrs. Frederic's brain? While you guys worked inside Warehouse 2, Dr. Vanessa and I stayed in the office with Mrs. Frederic. Dr. Vanessa explained that to prevent Warehouse 13 from totally shutting down, the Caretaker brain-link had to be transferred to someone else's brain before Mrs. Frederic 'shut down,' too."

"Transfer the Caretaker brain-link," Myka said. "Transferred to whom? To you?"

"Yes. Mrs. Frederic and Dr. Vanessa insisted I take the brain-link. They acted like I was definitely going to be the next Caretaker. The whole scenario was scary." Claudia shivered. "We were super-close to making the transfer when you deactivated Warehouse 2. Thanks, by the way. I'm pretty sure you guys saved my brain."

As Myka tried to understand what Claudia had told her, she spotted the old photo of Joshua and young Claudia. _ Why did Mrs. Frederic instruct me to find Claudia? _She picked up the photo to look at their faces.

"Doesn't that scare you?" Claudia asked. "The mysterious Powers That Be wanted me, the kid, to be the next Caretaker. I have no confidence in these Regent-types and their decision-making abilities. Their Caretaker succession plan was terrible. Terrible and scary."

Myka looked up from the photo to smile at Claudia. "Actually, the idea of you as the Caretaker does not scare me at all," she said. "You're not a kid, either. You are currently the youngest person working at the Warehouse. At your relatively young age, you're probably not thrilled about taking on such a big responsibility."

"Huge responsibility," Claudia said. "Terrified by the idea. Way too young."

"But later on, and with more experience, you'd make an excellent Caretaker, I think," Myka said.

Claudia gaped at her. "What? No, it's not a good idea, at all. Trust me."

"I do trust you, Claudia," she said. "That's one of the many reasons why I think you'd be qualified for the job. Obviously, Mrs. Frederic thought you were qualified, too."

Myka looked back at the old photo of young Claudia. "But Mrs. Frederic didn't mention any of that last night. She wanted me to find you. She said, 'Find Claudia.' Mrs. Frederic sounded deadly serious, as if she were warning me you were in danger."

Myka took a deep breath. "Maybe you shouldn't go on the time-travel trip, after all. It's probably not safe."

"Hold on, I'm still going with you guys," Claudia said. "All of us working together means we'll all have each other's backs, and we'll fix everything. I'm still going with you."

"You said before, we saved your brain, because you didn't get the brain-link," Myka said. "What if Mrs. Frederic still wants to protect your brain? We know Pocketwatch time-travelling is dangerous. Maybe it's not a good idea to risk damaging your brain."

"I'll wear a crash-helmet," Claudia said. "My brain and I are going with you. Besides, as your physics consultant, I insist on participating in the time-travel trip. That way I can observe the phenomenon firsthand. Discussion concluded."

Myka sighed and picked up the copied file she'd been reading.

Claudia glanced at the desk and picked up a file photo. "Young Artie Nielsen. Do you believe Artie was ever young?"

"The files verify this fact," Myka said. "His name is in this old file. Artie and MacPherson were the Warehouse agents who retrieved the Collodi Bracelet from young Walter Sykes."

"Ugh, MacPherson," Claudia said. "Poor Artie had to work with that creep."

Myka wanted to think further about their work on the old case. She wrote on a Post-It Note, "Collodi Bracelet snagged by Agent MacPherson and Agent Nielsen." She stuck the note onto Artie's old photo and filed it in the folder on Sykes.

Suddenly Myka felt wobbly again. Piles of paper slid off Claudia's desk onto the floor. Another tremor was shaking the B&B. From the stack of large cardboard boxes, one fell off the top and hit the floor heavily, spilling out some books.

"I think this tremor feels stronger," Claudia said.

Myka stood up. "We're going downstairs. Now."

She heard Pete yell, "Myka! Claudia!"

Claudia grabbed her laptop and they ran downstairs.

Pete stood in the main hallway and pointed toward the open front door. They ran outside to join Leena and Artie in the front yard.

Finally, the tremor stopped. Artie stared at his wristwatch. "More than twice as long as the previous tremors."

"I think it was stronger, too," Myka said. "More stuff fell down this time."

"This is a bad omen," Leena said.

Pete nodded. "A bad vibe, literally."


	18. Ch 18

After the tremor ended and their immediate fears subsided, they went into the B&B, while Pete went to work in the backyard.

In the kitchen, Leena started another pot in the coffeemaker, and put a kettle on the stove to make tea. Myka looked over Claudia's shoulder at her laptop, as she searched for information about earthquake tremors.

Artie entered the kitchen, talking into his Farnsworth. "Yes, sir. Goodbye."

"Mr. Kosan is conferring with the seismologists in Colorado," Artie said. "The National Earthquake Information Center has been monitoring the South Dakota Badlands since the explosion."

"I don't like these tremors," Leena said. "They're disturbing on more than just the physical level."

"So the bigger tremor is a bad sign, right?" Claudia asked. "But what does it mean?"

"I don't know what it means." Artie took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "But I know a bad sign when I see one."

Myka glanced at him nervously. _Time to tell Artie I've seen Mrs. Frederic's ghost. _

"Speaking of bad signs, I think we've received more than one," Myka said.

"What kind of sign?" Leena asked.

"An unusual sign, Leena," Myka said. "Sorry, Artie. Now isn't the best time to bring this up, but you need to hear this. Last night, I got a message from Mrs. Frederic."

"What?" Artie asked. "Mrs. Frederic? What message?"

"Mrs. Frederic appeared to me last night, while I was sleeping, to give me a message."

Artie gaped at her, but he didn't dispute her. "Tell me exactly, exactly, what she said."

Briefly Myka described her dream and repeated Mrs. Frederic's words:

_"It's time to get up, Myka. It's time to go." _

_"Back to the beginning."_

_"Find Claudia." _

As she spoke, she saw Artie's eyes widen, as if he were afraid. But he was looking past her. He scratched at his eyebrow and his lips moved a bit, as if he talked to himself.

"I think she wants us to use the Pocketwatch Artifact and travel back in time," Myka said.

Artie shook his head and turned his focus back to Myka. "She didn't actually say that." He fidgeted with his glasses.

"What else could she have meant?" Myka asked.

"I'm not sure," Artie said.

"You didn't see Mrs. Frederic in a dream, did you?" Myka asked.

"No. Well, not last night," Artie said. "But, a few years ago, yes. She appeared, while I was sleeping, to give me a message. But that's strange, now that I think about it, because why couldn't she call me on the Farnsworth?"

Leena frowned. "She talked to you, too, in your dream? What was Mrs. Frederic's message about?"

"Uh, well." Artie glanced at Claudia. "Mrs. Frederic said basically the same thing. It was time to go, back to the beginning. She mentioned Claudia."

Myka and Leena and Claudia looked at each other in astonishment.

"So even though Mrs. Frederic is dead, her ghost can appear suddenly with ominous messages," Claudia said. "Now that's a scary superpower."

"I've told you," Artie said, "there's no such thing as ghosts. And we can't be 100 percent sure it was Mrs. Frederic talking to Myka."

"Oh, I'm sure that was Mrs. Frederic," Myka said. "She wore her most serious expression. If that wasn't Mrs. Frederic, then who was it?"

"Oh, no," Claudia said. "Do you mean there are other people with the same superpowers?"

"No, not people," Artie said slowly. "But there's another possibility. Well, just a theory, really. It's probably nothing." He rubbed his beard nervously.

"Artie?" Myka asked.

"There is the remote chance you may have gotten a message from Warehouse 13," he said.

For a few moments, they stared at Artie.

"On second thought," Artie said, "forget I said that."

* * *

Myka went outside the B&B to look for Pete. She found him in the backyard with a caulking gun, sealing up a crack along a window frame.

"Hey," she said. "How's it going?"

"OK, I guess. The caulking alone may take quite a while, with all the cracks in the exterior," he said. "I'll have to put some drywall inside the B&B, or maybe learn how to plaster."

Myka watched his slow and careful work. _Where is his Pete-energy, and his Pete-personality?_

He set down the caulking gun on an old towel, reached for another rag, and wiped a bit of caulk off his arm. "Those tremors aren't helping, either. The latest one made the previous cracks worse."

"I hope the tremors don't last much longer." She studied his downcast face. _This feels so strange, making small talk. Where is Pete, my partner? _

"What?" he asked.

"Sorry. What?"

"You had a funny look on your face," Pete said. "Do I have globs of caulk in my hair?"

Myka took a deep breath. "We've been partners for 3 years. It feels like more like 10. In a good way, I mean. But I don't want to talk about home maintenance or hardware. I need to talk to you about saving Warehouse 13."

His shoulders sank. "I told you, I don't see how a completely destroyed Warehouse can be saved."

"We have the Pocketwatch Artifact. We can travel back in time," she said. "I'm going with Artie, and Claudia is going with me. But I really need your help. You're my partner, Pete."

Pete shook his head. "No, it's too dangerous."

"We'll save as many people as we can, fix as much as we can. We have to try."

"That's the key word, try," he said. "You can make changes, maybe big changes, but the chances of actually fixing what happened are pretty small."

"You don't know that," she said.

"Yes, I do. We know about the Warehouse agents during World War 2."

"They stopped the Nazis from conquering the world," Myka said.

"Yes, they did. But they couldn't fix everything, could they? They didn't prevent the war from starting in the first place. They didn't prevent the German Luftwaffe's Blitzkrieg against Britain. Obviously they didn't kill Hitler," he said. "By the time World War 2 as we know it ended, more than 60 million people died. But now we found out, that was the relatively better ending, after the Warehouse agents saved the world from an even more terrible scenario."

Myka crossed her arms tightly. "I don't want to save the whole world," she said hoarsely. "This mission is on a much smaller scale. I want to save Helena and Steve and Mrs. Frederic, and a few Regents. If we go back in time early enough, they will be alive, and Warehouse 13 will still be there. Then all we have to do is stop Sykes. I think that's fairly straightforward."

"No, you're assuming you can change things enough that the new timeline will be better than this one," he said. "But another timeline could go just as badly. What if more of us die?"

"I know the risks, but I have to try," she said quietly.

"I'm not willing to take that risk. Mainly, I'm not willing for you to take such a huge risk. Or Claudia, or Artie," he said. "What if saving the Warehouse comes down to a trade-off? What if you can save H.G., save all of them, but Claudia dies instead?"

Myka put her hand over her mouth.

"I don't know if I could survive Claudia's funeral," Pete said. "I know I wouldn't survive your death, Myka."

Myka couldn't think of a way to answer him. He was expressing all of her worst fears. She had purposely avoided thinking about those fears for more than a moment. _I can't give up, _she thought. _Using the Pocketwatch Artifact is our only chance to save Helena and Steve. _

They stood in silence for a long time, staring at the ground.

"If time travel and fixing timelines worked really well," Pete said, "Warehouse agents would have been using the Pocketwatch all these years. But Nikola Tesla was a genius, and even he thought the artifact should be destroyed. The Regents must have a good reason why they won't allow time travel."

_The Regents don't know that I'm going to use the Pocketwatch, and neither does Pete,_ Myka thought. _But I can't lie to Pete. Stick to the truth._

"Since the Regents won't allow time travel, it looks like none of us are going anywhere. I'm just not ready to accept that Warehouse 13 is gone," she said. "I'll let you get back to work. See you later."

Pete nodded and picked up his caulking gun.

From the backyard, Myka walked around the B&B. When she reached the driveway, she got into the SUV, shut the door, and burst into tears.

* * *

Later, Myka returned to Claudia's room carrying a note.

Claudia sat on her bed with her laptop, tracking down more information.

Silently, Myka handed Claudia the note. She had written, "Pete is definitely NOT going. He thinks NONE of us should go = too dangerous. I can't talk about it."

Claudia read her message and nodded sadly.

Myka sat at the desk and picked up several file folders. Briefly she skimmed over the information about Marcus Diamond. She put his folder back on the desk and sighed tiredly.

She reluctantly opened the folder on Regent Theodora Stanton and read about the woman she once met. Theodora's everyday life was rather quiet, even uneventful. In contrast, her work as a Regent for Warehouse 13 was so dangerous, she lost her life.

Myka turned the pages. The Regent Security personnel who attempted to collect Theodora's corpse wrote an unusual field report. Apparently, her body had been reduced to ashes. Based on Warehouse artifact files, Artie's report described how Theodora had been tortured and killed with the Doorknob Artifact from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.

_Sally Stukowski used that artifact to kill Theodora._ Myka shivered with disgust and closed the folder. _But really, Sykes killed her. _

She disliked reading files on disastrous missions. But as a field agent, she knew any background information might be useful. She wanted to be totally prepared this time. One aspect of fighting Sykes was to understand what he was capable of.

_Sykes murdered 7 Regents, _she thought. _He's capable of patient and meticulous planning. Somehow he acquired classified information about those Regents, and about Warehouse 13. _

Myka turned to the printed photos of Walter Sykes. In the oldest photo, the 10-year-old Walter sat in his wheelchair, glaring past the camera. The wheelchair, like most in that decade, was manually operated by rolling the large wheels on each side. Walter and his wheelchair were parked on the sidewalk in front of his average midwestern American house.

Myka studied the photo and wondered about the wheelchair for a moment. She couldn't pinpoint what it was that bothered her about the simple scene. She wrote on a Post-It Note: "boy Walter's wheelchair." She stuck the note onto the photo of Sykes and closed the folder. _The Collodi Bracelet definitely damaged that boy's soul._

Myka glanced at Claudia, who still concentrated on her internet research. She pictured the painful scene of Claudia grieving over Steve's dead body.

_As soon as Sykes released Helena from the Janus Coin, he killed Steve. Sykes had no more use for Steve. Human lives are worthless to him._

Retrieving her notebook, Myka listed the people they knew Walter Sykes had killed: 4 Regents, plus Theodora Stanton, Regent Philip, Regent Lok Archer. Then she added: Steve Jinks, Helena Wells, Mrs. Frederic. _So many people died because of Walter Sykes, _she thought in disgust.

Myka heard Claudia typing on the laptop keys. _Claudia lost Steve, and her home at the Warehouse. That's because of Sykes, too. _

She thought of Pete's depression. _Pete's still alive, physically. But what if he can't recover from all our losses? What if Sykes killed Pete's spirit, too?_

Her disgust for Sykes turned to anger. _This time we will stop Sykes. We will stop him from killing our people and destroying our Warehouse_. _ I will stop him, no matter what it takes. _

Another thought surprised Myka. _I will stop him myself. This time, I will kill Walter Sykes. _


	19. Ch 19

Myka and Claudia worked quietly in her bedroom office. Claudia sat on her bed with her laptop, searching for more information. Myka sat in the office chair at the desk, reading over the background files and making notes.

Suddenly, the floor shook violently. The office chair wheels rolled and Myka lost her balance. She fell onto the floor, landing hard on her hip. Most of the paper and photos slid off the desk and fell on top of her. She heard the loud sound of Claudia's book-boxes crashing to the floor.

"Run, Claudia," Myka shouted. "Get out of the house."

Claudia scurried out of her bedroom.

The strong vibration kept rattling the B&B. A rafter up in the attic made a loud cracking sound.

Myka scrambled to her feet, trying to regain her balance despite the shaking floor. She heard several more cracking noises in the attic.

"Myka!" Pete and Claudia yelled from downstairs.

"I'm coming," Myka called.

Unsteadily, she made her way out into the hallway and down the stairs.

"Myka!" Pete braced himself in the frame of the open front door and watched her anxiously. The entire B&B sounded like it was groaning.

Myka stumbled toward Pete and he steered her out the doorway.

Out in the front yard, away from the house, Myka and Pete sat down on the grass near Claudia, Artie, and Leena.

After another minute, the quaking lessened into tremors and finally stopped.

Artie's Farnsworth rang and he answered, "Mr. Kosan, this is a bad sign."

* * *

Nervous about the aftershock, Myka, Claudia, Leena, and Pete stood outside in the front yard of the B&B. Artie paced across the grass, talking into his Farnsworth.

A large black SUV pulled into their driveway.

Artie walked over toward it. Out of the car stepped Regent Adwin Kosan and Regent Jane Lattimer.

_Kosan keeps showing up and he makes me nervous, _Myka thought. _I've got to snag the Pocketwatch Artifact from Artie._

Claudia glared at Jane Lattimer's arrival. "Great," Claudia said. She bit her lip and glanced at Pete. "I'm going to risk it and go inside the house." She walked back to the B&B.

Myka, Leena, and Pete watched Artie and the Regents for a moment.

"Looks like my Mom is busy with work," Pete said. He turned to Leena. "I'll check the house exterior for damage. Then I'll come indoors and get to work on the newest mess." He walked back across the grass.

Myka stared at the Regents, wishing she could read their minds, or at least read their lips. She realized Leena was watching her.

"What are you thinking?" Leena asked, arms crossed.

Myka shrugged. "I'll stay out here and keep an eye on Artie, in case he needs backup. Regents can be intimidating."

"What does Pete think about all this?" Leena asked. "I haven't heard him say anything about the potential time-travel trip."

"Pete doesn't want us to try using the Pocketwatch Artifact." Myka watched Artie, hoping he would not hand over the artifact. "He thinks it's too dangerous for any of us to go. I guess Pete agrees with the Regents."

Leena studied Myka's face another moment, and walked back toward the B&B.

Myka waited outside until the Regents finished talking with Artie. She watched as Kosan and Jane Lattimer got into their SUV and drove away.

Artie trudged toward the B&B. He glanced at Myka, but continued past her, grumbling to himself.

She followed him into the Reading Room and watched him sit down on the couch wearily. Claudia and Leena joined Myka and they waited for Artie to speak.

"I have bad news, and good news," Artie said. He looked directly at Myka. "Also some news you're not going to like."

"Start with the bad news," Myka said.

"Unfortunately, we were right," he said. "The tremors were bad signs. Because of their size and location, these continuing aftershocks will cause more problems. With Warehouse 13 as the epicenter of the earthquake, the aftershocks affect this entire region. Specifically, our location is too close to the Yellowstone Caldera."

"This could affect the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone?" Claudia asked.

"The tremors have already disturbed the Caldera, to a dangerous degree," Artie said. "One more large aftershock, or two at the most, will loosen up, or rather, open up the supervolcano."

Myka remembered their previous crisis with Helena at Yellowstone. "The huge amount of ash from the volcanic eruption would clog the atmosphere for years," she said.

"How much time do we have?" Claudia asked.

"According to the seismologists at the NEIC, we have less than 48 hours," Artie said.

Myka remembered watching Helena raise the Minoan Trident. One more strike with the Trident would set off the Yellowstone Caldera.

Artie looked at Myka. "At Yellowstone, you prevented H.G. Wells from destroying North America," he said. "But with his Artifact-Bomb, Walter Sykes may succeed in setting off the supervolcano after all."

_Not if I stop him first,_ she thought. _I'm going to stop Walter Sykes_.

"Wait," Claudia said. "What's the good news?"

"Mr. Kosan has authorized using the Pocketwatch Artifact for time travel."

"Excellent," Claudia said. "We can go back now, so the Artifact-Bomb will never explode. That should take care of the Yellowstone Caldera, too."

Myka frowned. "Tell me the news I'm not going to like."

"Kosan has ordered me to use the Pocketwatch Artifact," he said.

"Only you?" Myka asked.

"I leave first thing tomorrow morning," he said. "Kosan and Jane Lattimer plan to be here at the B&B for my departure."

"No, you're not going by yourself," Myka said. "We're Warehouse agents. We work in teams. I'm going with you, for backup. Claudia is coming with us, to help prevent the explosion."

Artie glared at her, but said nothing.

"Artie!" Myka said. "We're going with you."

"I need time to think," he said. "We have until tomorrow morning. Let me think."

Myka quickly left the Reading Room. She ran upstairs into her bedroom to avoid crying in front of the others.

_What is there to think about? We use the Pocketwatch and save the Warehouse. _Sitting on her bed, she reached for the box of tissues. _Sykes tried to kill all of us when he blew up Warehouse 13. Now he's dead, but he's still threatening to kill us. We're still losing the war for the Warehouse, when we could be fighting back instead._

From the nightstand drawer, she pulled out the 1890s photograph of Helena Wells.

_Only two days ago,_ Myka thought. _Two days ago, Helena was here, fighting to save Warehouse 13. She fought to save all of us. _

Myka thought back to those last moments in the Warehouse. Outside the small space protected by the barrier, Helena smiled triumphantly when her last-minute experiment proved successful. _If only we hadn't run out of time_. She put the photo back into the drawer.

_When you find a place where you belong, you fight for it_, she thought. _ That's what I told Kosan at my reinstatement. Kosan and the Regents don't understand that stopping Sykes will require all the Warehouse agents working together. We have to rescue Helena before we can stop Sykes._

* * *

Later, when Myka heard a knock at her door, she answered, "Come in."

Claudia looked furious. "I don't care what the Regents think. We're still going, right?"

"I don't want Artie to go alone," Myka said. "If that's the Regents' plan, it's a terrible plan. Our plan is better."

"I will not miss this chance to save Steve and H.G.," Claudia said.

"When the three of us time-travel," Myka said, "we can get to work right away because there won't be as much to explain when we arrive. Artie sets the watch back far enough, and we have the time on our side to fix everything."

"So what happens tomorrow?" Claudia asked. "I don't want the Regents coming here, to the B&B, anyway. What if Artie agrees to go by himself?"

"Artie will not go by himself," Myka said.

"How can we be sure?" Claudia asked.

"We have until tomorrow morning to work out those details," she said. "Also, I borrowed something of yours, from your office."

"Another book?"

"No, I borrowed your family heirloom pocketwatch."

"OK, but why would you want the old watch?" Claudia asked.

"You said before, your watch looked like the Pocketwatch Artifact. I'm going to swap your watch for the artifact," Myka said quietly.

"Whoa!" Claudia said.

"We've swapped out artifacts before," she said. "It's the only way to guarantee we go with Artie. The Regents' plans failed last time. Sykes outmaneuvered us, and we lost the Warehouse. I'm not going to leave this decision up to the Regents, not this time."

"OK, we swap the pocketwatches," Claudia said. "That's a good strategy, I agree. But what about Artie? Do you think he'll go along with swapping an artifact under the Regents' noses?"

Myka stood up. "Artie won't know about the swap. Tonight, after he's asleep, I'll swap the pocketwatches."

"Myka!" Claudia said. "Holy cow!"

"Shh, keep your voice down. I want the Pocketwatch in my hands, before the Regents arrive tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, you and I are going to plan for several scenarios. The bottom line is, no matter what happens, we'll be ready to use the Pocketwatch to travel back in time. We snag Artie and take him with us."

"Wait," Claudia said. "We're not going to tell Artie anything about what we're doing? We're going to keep secrets from him?"

"We will tell Artie," Myka said. "But we're going to wait until the last possible minute to tell him. Then all he has to do is set the Pocketwatch back to the right day."


	20. Ch 20

Later that night, Myka lay awake in her bed. She was too nervous to sleep, or even nap. In the dark, she stared at the clock, waiting for the numbers to change. At midnight, Myka planned to snag the Pocketwatch Artifact from Artie as he slept and replace it with the Donovan family pocketwatch.

The glow of Claudia's laptop screen illuminated the young agent's face where she sat on the couch. Claudia volunteered to swap the pocketwatches, but Myka preferred to do it herself. _When Artie finds out, he's going to be angry. I'd prefer he be angry with me, _Myka told her.

She hadn't told Claudia she wanted to carry the Pocketwatch Artifact herself, right up until they activated it. Then if the Regents refused to let anyone use the artifact, Myka could time-travel by herself as the last resort. _No more blindly following the Regents, _she thought as she stared at the clock. _Change the rules. _

Finally, it was midnight. Myka stood up from the bed.

Claudia nodded, but said nothing.

Quietly, Myka opened her bedroom door and glanced down the hall toward Pete's room. She hoped Pete's busy day of maintenance work meant he was sleeping soundly. She walked slowly down the hallway.

As she descended the stairs, she held her breath. Seeing some light, she realized one of the lamps in the Reading Room was still on.

Her heart pounded. _ Is Artie still awake? I won't be able make the swap._

After a long silent moment, she heard Artie snore loudly.

Relieved, Myka continued through the downstairs hallway and entered the Reading Room. Artie slept on the couch. In front of him, on the coffeetable, lay uneven piles of folders and papers. On top of the papers sat Artie's glasses, the Pocketwatch Artifact, and his huge briefcase.

_OK, here we go_. Myka wore a purple glove on her right hand. _If Artie wakes up, I'll be caught purple-handed_.

She stared at the sleeping Artie another moment. Gently she picked up the Pocketwatch Artifact with her gloved hand. She held the two watches together and briefly compared them.

_All the antique pocketwatches look alike,_ Myka reassured herself. _Artie won't notice the replacement. _She set the normal pocketwatch down in place on the coffeetable.

Myka left the Reading Room. She crossed the hallway, but as she reached the staircase, she glanced to her left and froze.

Leena stood there, staring at the Pocketwatch in Myka's purple-gloved hand.

* * *

Quickly Myka raised a finger to her lips to signal for silence. She pointed toward Leena's room on the main level of the B&B. Quietly they walked to Leena's room and closed the door.

Leena turned to face Myka and crossed her arms. "Snagging the artifact? Do you think that's necessary?"

"Yes, I do," Myka said. "I think it's necessary to help Artie. The Regents plan to send him on this mission by himself."

"Isn't that decision up to the Regents?" Leena asked. "It's their job."

"The Regents are seriously wrong," Myka said. "We don't send Warehouse agents alone on dangerous missions. We send teams. I won't stand by while the Regents order him to go alone. I won't let Artie make some self-sacrificing decision to go by himself, either. If I'm holding the Pocketwatch Artifact, I can guarantee he goes with me as backup. Plus, this is the best way to make sure Artie sets the Pocketwatch back far enough."

"Far enough? For what?" Leena asked.

"Far enough, back in time, so we can save as many people as possible," Myka said. "We can save Mrs. Frederic and Steve and Helena. But if we travel back a little farther, we can probably prevent several of the Regents from being killed, too."

Leena frowned in thought.

Myka sighed in frustration. "Does all of this sound too crazy? Do you think our plan is a bad idea?"

"No, actually, I was thinking the opposite," Leena said slowly. "It's a good plan, meant to undo the evil Sykes did. The best plan would save the most people." She studied Myka's face. "You may save more lives than you realize."

"Who are you talking about?"

"I know losing the Warehouse was a terrible blow to Artie," Leena said. "Warehouse 13 has been his home for 30 years. Claudia is devastated, too. All the losses in her life already convinced her she was cursed. The last few days have confirmed her worst fears. But I hadn't realized how losing the Warehouse would deeply affect Pete, and you."

Myka's eyes welled with tears. "I'm afraid," she whispered. "What if Pete, the Pete we know, is gone? What if I can't bear to see him crushed like this?"

"Even though Sykes died, he managed to crush several spirits in the aftermath. Apparently, his terrible vendetta isn't over yet," Leena said.

Myka clenched her jaw and thought about her plan to kill Walter Sykes. "That is why I have to go back in time and stop Sykes," she said. "Sykes wanted to kill all of us, and he almost succeeded. But this time, I will stop him. I'll stop him before he can hurt any of us."

Leena studied Myka's face again. "Be careful you don't get lost," she said gravely. "Be careful you don't lose yourself in the conflict."

The way Leena seemed to look right into her thoughts made Myka increasingly nervous. _I know she can read my aura_. _ But I hope she can't read my mind._

"One more question," Leena said.

Myka held her breath.

"How can I help?" Leena asked.

* * *

Later, in the early hours of the morning, Myka lay asleep in her bed. In her dreams, she caught glimpses of recent events. Most painful to her were the glimpses of faces. Sykes smiled as he maneuvered Helena with the DeMille Crop. Helena looked fearful as she instructed Myka to move the first chess piece.

Myka's dream drifted to an older memory. She stood in the abandoned laboratory at Minnesota University, where Joshua Donovan had disappeared. Artie and Claudia were recreating Joshua's teleportation experiment. Myka dreamed air-currents filled with light swirled around the lab and made loud crackling noises. She waited for the three others to reappear. But while the energy pulsed through the air around her, the lab suddenly grew quiet.

Myka realized Mrs. Frederic stood nearby.

_Mrs. Frederic was not in Joshua's old lab. This is a dream,_ she thought.

_"It's time to go. Back to the beginning," _Mrs. Frederic said.

"The beginning of what? Mrs. Frederic, please, you've got to give me more to go on," Myka said.

_"Every artifact in this Warehouse is an extension of a person. Understand Rheticus, understand the compass,"_ Mrs. Frederic said.

"That's the advice you gave us before. Pete and I tried to figure out what happened with the Rheticus Compass Artifact, what went wrong in Joshua's experiment," she said.

_"Find Claudia, Joshua," _Mrs. Frederic said.

"What?" Myka was even more confused now.

_"MacPherson is playing the Long Game," _Mrs. Frederic said.

Myka awoke and sat up in her bed. She flicked on her lamp as she looked toward the couch.

Claudia slept with a blanket and her framed photos. She had gone to bed completely dressed, wearing all black.

_Claudia's right here, _she thought. _ Right where I can keep an eye on her. _She took a deep breath. _I wish Mrs. Frederic would stop surprising me._

She tried to slow her breathing. _MacPherson's name was still in my head after reading the case file on Sykes. _She took another deep breath. _My dream wasn't a message from Mrs. Frederic, just bits of memory resurfacing while I slept. _

The house was quiet, except for the nearby sound of snoring. Myka looked toward the other wall. Pete lay asleep on the rug again, spending part of the night in her room.

_Good thing I bagged the Forbidden Artifact_. From Claudia's stash of supplies, a shiny static bag held the Pocketwatch Artifact. Myka stowed the static bag in her nightstand drawer, under Helena's photo. On top of her nightstand sat her gun and Tesla, just in case. She yawned and turned out the light.

She lay in the dark and stared at the ceiling. _Mrs. Frederic said it's time to go, and I agree with her_. _Only a few hours until daylight. Artie meets with the Regents. Claudia and I snag Artie and travel back in time._

Myka thought about checking her clock, but she didn't want to see the lighted digital numbers. Instead, she tried to focus on Pete's snoring, hoping the steady sound would lull her into sleep.

_I'm always wound up when we start a new mission_. _The sooner we leave, the sooner we get there. We have to leave soon. _Myka took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. _Soon._


	21. Ch 21

The next morning, after Claudia and Pete returned to their own rooms, Agent Myka Bering dressed for the day's mission. To match her black pants, Myka wore a black trenchcoat over a white button-down shirt. She needed the trenchcoat because of its interior pockets.

From her nightstand drawer, Myka retrieved the static bag containing the Pocketwatch Artifact. Carefully, she folded the static bag over several times, and stashed the bag into her interior pocket, next to a pair of purple gloves.

She moved to stand in front of the large mirror, straightening and smoothing the fabric of her trenchcoat. _No one will be able to tell I'm carrying an artifact in a static bag_. _The dangerous artifact I stole from my boss is completely hidden. Act naturally._ She put her Tesla into her right-hand pocket.

After knocking on the door, Claudia entered, carrying her small collection of photo frames. She sat on the couch. "I wish our stuff could time-travel with us, but I'm guessing it doesn't."

Myka studied Claudia for a moment. "Your photos will be in your room when we get back." She wasn't accustomed yet to Claudia's jet-black hair.

Claudia shrugged. "Yeah, I thought they'd be good luck. We could use some good luck for a change."

"The photo of your brother?" Myka asked.

"Photos of all my favorite scientists." Claudia held up each one in turn. "Josh. H.G. Wells. Saint Nick." The last frame held a black-and-white photograph of Nikola Tesla, the genius inventor and former Warehouse agent.

"Saint Nick?"

"I decided Agent Nikola Tesla is the patron saint of Warehouse 13. Especially now that we know he used the Pocketwatch to save the world. On this mission, we need all the help we can get."

"All our planning and preparation will definitely help us," Myka said. "We can get to work as soon as we arrive in the past. Most importantly, my two favorite scientists will be working together on this mission - Claudia Donovan and Helena Wells."

Claudia smiled in surprise. "When you say it that way, the future sounds awesome."

"You have a bright future ahead of you. We all do," Myka said. "But first, we have to make a quick trip into the recent past."

* * *

As Myka had planned, Claudia went out the front door to walk around outside and wait in the backyard. Leena agreed to keep Pete occupied with household activities. Myka wanted Pete out of the way, away from the Regents and away from her time-travel departure.

Downstairs, Myka stood in the doorway and scanned the Reading Room. Mr. Kosan, Jane Lattimer, and several other Regents had arrived.

In the nearest corner, Artie talked to Mr. Kosan, gesturing with both hands. On the floor beside them sat the large rectangular cooler, still wrapped shut with duct tape, containing the Scarab. Next to them stood Jane Lattimer, who noticed Myka's arrival.

Myka nodded in acknowledgement to Pete's mother. _This time we're not going to sit around and wait for your Top Secret Plan to fail_.

Myka walked across to the open doorway of the Meeting Room, where a few more Regents talked quietly. She looked around at these strangers who would decide her fate, and the fate of Warehouse 13.

_Let us do our jobs. Let us save our own people. We can save them, and save the Warehouse. _ She took a deep breath and straightened her trenchcoat. _All I have to do is kill Walter Sykes._

Myka glanced back toward the hallway and saw Pete, only to realize he was staring straight at her. _Leena was supposed to keep Pete out of the way_.

Pete walked directly toward her, staring intently. She stepped toward the nearest corner. He stood close to her, with his back to the room. "I'm getting a bad vibe," he said quietly.

_Keeping secrets from my own partner. I am a terrible person, _she thought._ OK, be truthful. Stick to the truth, and try to sound normal. _

"Yeah, sorry I'm sending out such negative vibes," Myka said. "I completely disagree with the Regents' decision, so I'm angry."

"My bad vibe isn't about you," Pete said. "I think it's about Claudia."

Her pulse sped up. _Does he suspect Claudia's part in this? I can't lie to Pete. If he asks, I'll have to tell him what we've planned. He'll disagree with me, and the Regents will find out I stole the artifact. We'll never go back in time to save the Warehouse. _

"I think Claudia ..." Pete stopped and shook his head.

She held her breath.

"I think Claudia's life might be in danger." Pete looked straight into her eyes. "I know she's angry about everything that happened. Do you think Claudia's planning to run away?"

Myka paused. _Stick to the truth_. "Claudia belongs here, with us. We are her family. She wouldn't leave us, not willingly. She would never leave Artie."

"Yeah, you're right." Pete sighed. "This vibe feels bad, but not in the usual way." He glanced into the other room. "Maybe it's because those people are standing in the Meeting Room, where Mrs. Frederic died. Maybe even in the afterlife, she's frowning at us in disapproval."

She nodded, remembering Mrs. Frederic's permanently stoic expression. "That I could believe."

Over Pete's shoulder, Myka noticed Leena was standing in the main hallway, watching them.

She resisted the impulse to hug Pete goodbye. Instead, she cleared her throat and pointed over his shoulder. "Leena's looking for you."

"Yeah, I've got stuff to do," Pete said. "See you later."

She smiled at him. "See you later." As she watched him walk away, Myka realized how glad she would be to see her partner when they got back to Warehouse 13.

* * *

Myka watched Kosan and Jane as they finished talking with Artie and went into the Meeting Room.

Artie walked over to Myka and glanced shyly at her.

_I have to pretend he's leaving without us, _she thought._ I am a terrible person who keeps secrets from her closest friends._

"Where's Claudia?" Artie asked.

"She decided to avoid the big meeting and hang out in the backyard instead," Myka said. "I'm going to join her outside."

Artie adjusted his glasses and glanced around the room. "Myka, I'm sorry," he said. "Kosan has ordered me to use the Pocketwatch Artifact, alone. He thinks it's the safest way to travel, and I agree with him."

Myka nodded slowly. _Artie looks so sad_. Tears welled up in her own eyes. "I know how much you want to protect Claudia and me." She hugged him tightly. "Good luck, Artie."

When she let go, Artie looked surprised she didn't say anything else.

Myka hurried out of the room and went out the front door of the B&B.


	22. Ch 22

Outside, Myka walked around the B&B and spotted Claudia farther out in the backyard.

Claudia had moved two patio chairs under the shade of a large cottonwood tree. In their plan, her role was to play the resentful junior agent, bitter about sitting on the sidelines. Dressed all in black and slouched in her chair, Claudia Donovan frowned fiercely at her laptop.

Myka walked over to meet Claudia. She remained standing and was careful to keep her back to the B&B. "You look very convincing, Claudia. That's a wicked glare you're wearing, too." She removed a purple glove from inside her trenchcoat and put it on her left hand.

"It's not a true glare of anger, so much as I'm squinting at my laptop," Claudia said as she avoided looking up.

Myka glanced over her shoulder toward the B&B. She carefully removed the static bag from her trenchcoat and held it close to her chest.

"I tried moving into the shade," Claudia said, "but there's too much light out here to see my computer screen. Frankly, I can't work in such sunny conditions."

"Won't be much longer now," Myka said quietly. She reached into the static bag and pulled out the Pocketwatch Artifact. "Soon we'll be back home at Warehouse 13."

Myka put the Pocketwatch into her left-hand pocket. She folded up the static bag and returned it to her interior pocket. After removing the purple glove, she put it in her pocket, over the artifact. She glanced over her shoulder as she smoothed out the fabric of her trenchcoat.

She exhaled in relief. "How's my acting? Do I look angry enough?"

Claudia squinted at Myka. "Angry? Kinda. Plus something else. Your plan is working perfectly. What's bothering you?"

Myka sat down in the empty chair. "Pete told me he's got a bad vibe. I was afraid our swap would be discovered too early. But I don't think anyone suspects what we've planned. So much for my new rule about 'no more secrets.'"

"Your secrets won't be secret for much longer," Claudia said. "Artie will try to use the Pocketwatch, but nothing will happen. Soon he and the Regents will give up, and their meeting will be over. Then we'll use the actual Pocketwatch Artifact and take our trip."

Myka checked her wristwatch. "We're this close to travelling back in time, and I'm distracted by feelings of guilt. I went behind Artie's back and stole an artifact."

"Borrowed. Borrowed an artifact," Claudia said. "Anyway, we're going to hand it right back to him. Artie won't have time to be angry at us. He'll have much bigger concerns to furrow his brow."

Myka checked her wristwatch again. Self-conscious about fidgeting, she crossed her arms tightly. She glanced at the B&B, and looked at Claudia. "You're doing a great job, keeping your cool and acting normal."

"I skipped all of my morning coffee, so actually, this is me feeling sluggish," Claudia said. "I don't feel cool at all. I'm staring at the clock on my laptop, and attempting to use mind-control to make Artie come outside now. Depending on how long we have to wait for Leena to send Artie out to talk to us, my nervousness will only increase."

Myka took a deep breath. "We're almost home, Claudia." _Almost home_.

* * *

After a few more agonizing minutes, the French Doors at the back of the B&B opened.

Myka saw Artie in the doorway and her pulse quickened. But Artie stood still with his back to the yard, probably speaking to someone inside.

"Look at the driveway," Claudia said quietly.

Myka saw Kosan walking toward his black SUV and carrying the large cooler bound with duct tape. "The Regents are leaving with the Scarab Artifact," she said. "While Kosan works on his Plan B, our Pocketwatch Travel Plan is now cleared for take-off."

Myka looked back at the French Doors where Artie stood. Leena stepped past Artie onto the patio and reached out to take his arm.

_Yes, Leena, steer Artie outside,_ she thought. _Insist Artie break the bad news to us. The Pocketwatch didn't work at all. _

Artie turned and walked beside Leena.

"Yes," Claudia said quietly, while trying to look busy on her laptop.

But as Artie and Leena moved across the patio toward the yard, two more people emerged in the doorway. Regent Jane Lattimer stood next to Pete, talking and glancing at Myka and Claudia.

"Oh, no," Claudia whispered. "What if they try and stop us?"

"We're way out here in the yard. We'll be fine," Myka said quietly. "Jane already thinks you hate her. Keep glaring fiercely and she'll keep her distance from you."

"With the amount of anger I'm feeling," Claudia said, "I should be able to overload her vibe-sensor and knock her flat on the ground."

Leena's arm was linked through Artie's arm as they walked together toward Myka and Claudia.

Myka took a deep breath and stood up as they approached. Leena nodded to Myka.

_Let's cut to the chase, _Myka thought. "The Pocketwatch didn't work?" she asked.

"No," he said.

"Artie, listen carefully." Myka glanced over his shoulder to where Pete stood watching them.

Claudia stood up to complete the small meeting circle with Artie, Leena, and Myka.

With the purple glove, Myka pulled the Pocketwatch out of her trenchcoat and held it out to Artie. "This is the actual Pocketwatch Artifact."

Artie's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"Claudia and I are going with you," Myka said. "It's time for Plan A, Artie. Set the watch back 31 days, so we can save Steve and Helena and everyone."

Artie stared at her, but didn't move. "You swapped out the artifact?"

Myka struggled not to cry. "Please, Artie, set the watch for Plan A. It's time to go."

Artie took the Pocketwatch and looked at the watch-face.

"Uh, oh," Claudia said. "I think Pete is heading this way."

Myka glanced at Pete walking slowly toward them. "Artie, we have to go. Now."

Artie adjusted the hands of the watch, setting the amount of time they would go back. "OK, it's set."

Myka nodded at Leena. "Thank you."

"Good luck." Leena smiled as she took a step back from them.

Pete called across the yard, "Myka!"

"Pete's got the bad vibe," Claudia said. "Hurry."

Artie looked at Claudia. "You two, stand on either side of me," he said. "We'll need to be connected, like a group hug."

Myka and Claudia quickly hugged him and held on.

Leena stepped farther away.

Pete called again, "Myka!"

Artie put his other hand on the Pocketwatch, clasping it in both hands.

The Pocketwatch Artifact flashed with a bright light. The light expanded and encompassed Myka, Claudia, and Artie. The last thing Myka saw was the bright light.


	23. Ch 23

Mrs. Frederic stood inside the Umbilicus at Warehouse 13. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a flash of light. Quickly she turned around, but the corridor was empty.

_That is odd_. She looked toward the office door. _I thought I saw something. Or sensed something. Something dangerous._

Mrs. Frederic walked through the Umbilicus. _I know Walter Sykes is threatening the Warehouse. But why do I feel as if something terrible has happened? _She flung open the door to the office.

As she entered, Artie stared at her in shock. "Mrs. Frederic," he said. "You're alive."

Mrs. Frederic considered his startled reaction. "When we spoke earlier, we agreed to meet at Warehouse 13. Why would you suddenly be surprised to see me alive, Agent Nielsen?"

He gaped at her, speechless.

Studying his unusual behavior, she noticed Artie held something in his hand. "Now it is my turn to be alarmed," she said. "Explain why you are holding the Pocketwatch Artifact."

Artie glanced at the watch, and looked up at her. "Because I have bad news," he said.

"Just now, as I walked through the Umbilicus," she said, "I was overcome with the sense that something terrible had happened."

"Your fears are correct," he said. "Something terrible is going to happen, and we may not have much time to stop it."

Artie glanced at the desk and recognized the file-photo on the computer screen. "Oh, no. Not Steve," he said. "Agent Jinks is already dead?"

Mrs. Frederic's concerns multiplied quickly. "The death of Agent Jinks is the reason for our meeting. We must add his room to the Archive. What is going on, Arthur?"

Artie's Farnsworth rang. He sat at the computer and set the Pocketwatch on the desk. Mrs. Frederic moved to stand beside him as he opened his Farnsworth.

"We're too late," Claudia shouted. "Artie, how could you? Steve is dead again. We're too late." She broke down in sobs and her face left the screen.

Myka's face appeared on the Farnsworth screen. "Artie, what happened?"

"I set the Pocketwatch back far enough," he said. "We should have traveled back at least 31 days. But we arrived here instead." Artie shook his head sadly. "I guess, this is where the Pocketwatch brought us."

"We're in the SUV with Pete," Myka said. "We'll drive back to Univille and get ready to leave for Hong Kong. I'll bring Pete up to speed."

"I set the watch, just like we planned," he said. "The Pocketwatch should have taken us back 31 days. Tell Claudia. Tell her, I'm sorry." Artie closed the Farnsworth and hung his head tiredly.

Mrs. Frederic gave him a moment to collect himself, and to gather her own thoughts. "It disturbs me greatly that you have already used such a dangerous artifact," she said. "Agent Bering traveled with you?"

He nodded. "Claudia, too."

For a moment, she felt light-headed. She sat in an office chair and tried to catch her breath.

"Mrs. Frederic, are you all right?" he asked.

Mrs. Frederic shook her head. "Start with today, and tell me everything that happens in the future."

* * *

Myka closed the Farnsworth. She listened with sadness as Claudia sobbed against Pete's shoulder. She looked up and down the South Dakota backroad, but did not expect to see any vehicles. _Sykes killed Steve and took Helena, _she thought. _No one will follow us now. They're on their way to Hong Kong. _

When Myka and Claudia relocated back in time, they found themselves riding in the SUV, driven by Pete. Claudia immediately found the plastic bag with Steve's personal effects and cried out in despair. Myka directed Pete to pull off the road and park the car. Claudia scrambled out, crying and shouting.

Now as they stood beside the car, Pete held Claudia in his arms and looked over her head at Myka. "What's going on?" he said hoarsely. "What is Artie talking about?"

Myka took a deep breath. "We used an artifact, Artie, Claudia, and I. Five days from now, we used a time-travel artifact to come back. This time, we tried to prevent Steve from dying, rescue Helena, and undo everything that went wrong." She cleared her throat. "We were supposed to arrive almost a month earlier."

Claudia stepped back from Pete. "But we landed here instead," she said bitterly. "We're too late." She climbed into the back seat of the SUV.

Pete frowned in confusion. "Time-travel? You actually travelled back in time?" he asked. "What do you mean, undo what went wrong? What happened?"

"Disaster." Myka wiped her eyes. "I'll explain everything, I promise. But we need to get back to Univille as soon as possible."

Myka went to the SUV, and stood by the open car door. "Claudia," she said gently. "We need to check Steve's message." She reached across the seat to retrieve the plastic bag of personal items. She found the cigarette lighter and handed it to Claudia.

Pete got into the driver's seat. "What message?" he asked over his shoulder.

"In the previous timeline, Steve secretly recorded a message for us to find." Myka got into the car. "He found out that Sykes is going to Hong Kong. We need to check that Steve's message is the same this time."

Claudia handed her laptop to Myka. "Here, now you can open the file. I can't bear to watch it again."

In Steve's brief message, he reported his discovery. Walter Sykes was flying to Hong Kong.

Myka closed her eyes as Pete steered the SUV back onto the road.

_Hong Kong, again. _She remembered the terror she felt in the Regent Sanctum, sitting at the chess table with the ax aimed at her head. _At least this time we'll get to Hong Kong sooner. I won't have to play Death Chess, _she thought. _This time, we'll do more than change the rules. We'll change everything._

* * *

Helena Wells opened her eyes and shifted in her airplane seat. Another drink of water from her glass did little to quench her thirst. She disliked the stale air-conditioned atmosphere in the passenger cabin of Sykes's private airplane. She took another drink of water and looked down at the chessboard in front of her.

Walter Sykes insisted that Helena play chess with him on their flight to Hong Kong. "This is a test of your chess-playing abilities," he said. "I expect to see your genius mind at work. I expect you to win."

Helena easily beat him in the first game. He made her reset the board and play another game, which she also won. Sykes ordered her to play a third game.

She regretted they could not play chess in silence. Sykes interrogated her about Caturanga, her teacher at Warehouse 12, his love of chess, and his work for the Regents. Finally, Sykes locked himself in the cockpit with the pilot so he could get some sleep.

Now Helena studied the chessboard and planned her next moves. She took another drink of water because she was still thirsty and a bit nauseous. _No doubt the lingering after-effects of being released from the Janus Coin back into my physical body, _she thought. _Certainly, witnessing that young man, Steve, being murdered would sicken anyone with a soul._

Helena leaned her head back against the airplane seat and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. _Emily Lake had no memory of her previous years. She may have been the fortunate one, after all_. Helena wished she could erase the memory of her frightening first meeting with Walter Sykes.

* * *

With the Janus Coin in the palm of her hand, "Emily Lake" became the complete Helena Wells once again. All of her memories, her personality, and her self came flooding back into her body. But when the flood ended and Helena looked around, she despaired at her return. Surprised to be alive at all, she was shocked to be surrounded by her captors.

Struggling against dizziness and nausea, she managed to focus her eyes. She recognized Marcus, the tall man who would not remain dead. She also recognized the young man that Pete and Myka had called Steve.

Most frightening to her was the man she did not recognize, seated in the wheelchair. He stared at her intently, with cold eyes.

"H.G. Wells?" Steve asked.

She did not look at Steve, but stared back at her captor. _I must remain calm, _she told herself. _I must proceed carefully._

"It would appear you got to the coin before Pete could destroy it," Helena said to the man in the wheelchair. "You must be Mr. Sykes."

"Hmm," Sykes said. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." He handed her a glass of water.

Another young man stepped into the room. "Um, the plane's ready," he said hesitantly, "if you wanna go." The nervous young man left the room immediately.

_Plane? He means airplane, _Helena thought. _I must find a way to escape from these men. _But another wave of dizziness made her pause. Instead of her characteristic quick thinking, Helena felt as if she were wading waist-deep through water.

_What if I lose consciousness? _She drank more from her water glass. _No, I must focus. Breathe. _She willed herself to recover. _Breathe. _

Helena watched warily as Sykes moved his wheelchair away from her.

"Steve," Sykes said, "I want you to know that none of this would have been possible without your help, buddy."

Marcus quickly stepped up to Steve and attacked him. With one arm Marcus grabbed Steve in a head-lock and with the other hand, stabbed a syringe into his neck.

Instinctively Helena thought to get up and fight Marcus. But shifting slightly in her seat, her head reeled with dizziness and she almost blacked out. Grimly she realized she was unable to stand, let alone fight anyone.

After injecting Steve, Marcus let go of him. Steve clutched his left arm in great pain and staggered. Marcus sat Steve down in a chair and held him by the shoulders. A few moments later, Steve was dead. Marcus propped up the dead man in the chair. Steve's eyes were still open in surprise.

Helena stared in shock at the young man's lifeless body. She glanced at Sykes and realized he was not at all affected by the brutal crime.

_I have apprehended murderers before_. _Sykes has the calm air of an experienced murderer. Or perhaps an executioner. _She shivered. _I must think of some way to escape from this evil man. _

Sykes and Marcus turned to leave the office. "Come on," Sykes said to her.

Helena stared at Steve's body as the color left his face. She rose slowly, trying to keep her balance. "I'm still feeling quite faint," she said. "I doubt I'm able to walk."

"We're leaving," Sykes said. "Now."

She glanced once more at the dead young man, and with hesitant steps, she walked out of the office.

* * *

Helena opened her eyes and shifted in her airplane seat. _For now, I am trapped with a madman, high above the ocean. _She took another drink of water, and stared out the small window. _Pete was right about destroying the Janus Coin, and me with it, _she thought. _Whatever Sykes is planning, I fear many more people will die before he is finished. _


	24. Ch 24

As soon as Pete steered the SUV into the driveway at the B&B and parked, Claudia bolted from the car.

Myka watched sadly as Claudia ran inside the house.

She looked at Pete, who remained in the driver's seat, frowning in thought. "I know it's a pretty wild story that I'm asking you to believe," she said.

Pete shook his head. "I believe you. I believe you guys traveled back in time. That's not the hard part. The hard part is, I can't imagine that Sykes blows up the entire Warehouse. I can't picture Warehouse 13 being completely gone."

Myka studied his face, remembering the paralyzing sadness he felt in the previous timeline. "Please, don't try to picture that, OK? Anyway, this time, the Warehouse is going to stay right where it is, because we're going to stop Sykes."

"So when we lost the Warehouse, we lost Mrs. Frederic with it, right?" he asked.

"Yes, but since we know exactly what Sykes is planning," she said, "we can stop him ahead of time. Plus, we can rescue Helena as soon as we get to Hong Kong."

"H.G. didn't join your time-travel trip," he said quietly. "So I'm guessing that means we lost her, too."

"In the explosion," Myka said. "Helena saved our lives." She stared out the car window at the front yard, trying not to see Helena's last moments alive. "I'll explain that part later, OK?"

Pete cleared his throat. "Is that why I didn't time travel? Did I die, too?"

"What? No, Pete, you didn't die." Myka shivered at the thought. "You're alive."

"Well, good, but I'm your partner. So why didn't I time travel with you? Did I get artifacted? Or seriously wounded?" His eyes widened. "Oh no, am I lying in a hospital, in a coma?"

"No, you were not in a hospital, or anything physical, or artifacty." She frowned. "But in a way, yes, you were seriously wounded, in spirit. So wounded that you wanted to start drinking again."

"Whoa," he said. "That is serious."

"Just before the Artifact-Bomb exploded inside Warehouse 13, Helena managed to reroute part of the Barrier. So you and I and Artie were protected from the explosion."

"H.G. saved our lives," he said.

"She sacrificed herself to save us." Myka closed her eyes. "But otherwise, it was a total disaster. Because the explosion was enormous, we basically stood in the middle of the world's largest house fire."

"Oh, man," Pete said. "Dying in a house fire. That's like, my worst nightmare. Well, one of them."

Myka heard the B&B's front door slam shut and saw Claudia leaving, wearing her black jacket, with her messenger bag slung over her shoulder. They watched her run across the front yard toward her El Camino.

"Claudia!" Pete shouted out the open window of the SUV.

Claudia's car sped out of the driveway and up the road toward Warehouse 13.

"She's walking wounded, too, isn't she?" he asked.

Myka studied the sadness in Pete's eyes. "All of us are in bad shape. We thought when we used the Pocketwatch Artifact, we'd get here early enough to save everyone," she said. "But we've already lost Steve. Now we have to be careful not to lose anyone else."

* * *

Mrs. Frederic walked through Warehouse 13, mentally reviewing Agent Nielsen's alarming report. After kidnapping H.G. Wells and murdering Agent Jinks, Walter Sykes was now on his way to Hong Kong. From the ancient Regent Sanctum, he would invade Warehouse 13 and destroy it with an Artifact-Bomb, killing her and Agent Wells in the process. In their zeal to right these wrongs, Agents Nielsen, Bering, and Donovan had broken the rules and used the Pocketwatch Artifact to travel back in time.

After his report, Mrs. Frederic and Agent Nielsen performed the solemn chore of storing Agent Jinks's room in the Warehouse 13 archive. She walked through the Warehouse aisles on her way back to the main office.

_Arthur is distraught because the artifact failed to bring them back earlier,_ she thought. _I am alarmed that he and Agent Bering used such a powerful artifact at all. To endanger Agent Donovan in that way is almost unthinkable._

She looked around her at the endless aisles of shelves, packed with objects, stacked high above her head. _I assumed that Warehouse 13 would always survive. Such a loss was unthinkable, too. But I was mistaken._

Mrs. Frederic ascended the metal stairway from the Warehouse floor up to the overlook platform. As she crossed the platform, opened the door, and entered the main office, she was surprised to see Claudia Donovan working at the Artie's computer.

Claudia's eyes grew wide and she shuffled some papers on the desk. "Mrs. Frederic! I'm glad you're not dead." The young woman glanced down at the desk. "I mean, I'm glad you're alive. But, of course, you're alive, because the Warehouse is here. So you're definitely still here, because you're connected to the Warehouse."

Mrs. Frederic walked closer to the desk and spotted the Pocketwatch Artifact, still sitting on the desk next to Artie's keyboard.

Claudia fidgeted with a small ring on her finger as she glanced at the computer screen.

Mrs. Frederic took a purple glove from a nearby table and picked up the Pocketwatch. "Agent Nielsen described the disastrous events of the next several days. I will admit that I am glad to be alive. I am certainly glad for the new opportunity to protect Warehouse 13."

She put the artifact, along with the glove, into the pocket of her suit jacket. "But using the Pocketwatch Artifact was an extremely dangerous plan. There are many reasons why Warehouse agents, including you, are forbidden to use this artifact."

Claudia's expression grew hard. "Yeah, plus the Pocketwatch doesn't exactly work. We set it back farther in time, but we landed here. Our time-travel trip was a failure." She held up a plastic bag with Steve's personal effects and dropped it back onto the desk. "We're too late to save Steve."

"I am truly sorry about Agent Jinks's death," Mrs. Frederic said. "I am sorry that your efforts to prevent his death were unsuccessful. But listen carefully. Your time-travel trip was not a failure. The Pocketwatch Artifact is highly unpredictable in its usage. If you and Agent Nielsen and Agent Bering left together and arrived together safely, your trip was quite successful."

"Artie warned us that a few agents died using the Pocketwatch," Claudia said. "Myka insisted it was worth the risk. I totally agreed with her."

"More than a few agents died using the Pocketwatch Artifact. Others suffered from unusual side-effects," Mrs. Frederic said.

Claudia glared at the computer screen, and typed briefly on the keyboard.

Mrs. Frederic sighed. "Agent Bering should have known better than to risk your life in such a reckless endeavor."

"Yeah, well, it's too late now," Claudia said. "We Warehouse agents are already hard at work, tracking down Sykes and stopping the Artifact-Bomb."

"Is that what you were doing here in the office?" Mrs. Frederic asked.

"I'm making flight arrangements for Myka and Pete," Claudia said. "On this timeline, they'll be ahead of schedule when they follow Sykes. Plus, I've hired a private plane, so they'll arrive in Hong Kong sooner than last time."

"Did Agent Nielsen authorize the expenditure for a private plane?"

"No." Claudia stood up from the desk. "I made the arrangements myself. Now you'll have to excuse me." She hurried toward the door to the Umbilical exit.

"You have just returned to Warehouse 13. Where are you going?" Mrs. Frederic asked.

Claudia paused in the Umbilical doorway. "I told you, we're working on the case. We're gonna save Warehouse 13. I'll be back." The metal door shut heavily behind her.

Mrs. Frederic considered Claudia's abrupt departure. She understood that Claudia and Artie were deeply grieved by Agent Jinks's death. But her focus kept returning to Artie's description of the blast crater made by the explosion.

_I have outlived many fine agents during my years at Warehouse 13, _she thought. _But I had never imagined the complete destruction, the death, of the Warehouse itself._

From her suit-jacket pocket, she retrieved the Pocketwatch Artifact. _I hope Agent Bering's plan proves to be worth such great risks. The future may still be a dangerous place, for all of us. _


	25. Ch 25

Inside the B&B, Myka explained to Pete and Leena more about the disastrous events that she, Claudia, and Artie were trying to prevent. When Artie called on the Farnsworth to check in with Leena, Myka excused herself to get ready for their trip to Hong Kong.

Upstairs, she peeked into Claudia's room and saw some of her cardboard boxes were unstacked and opened. _Claudia left in a hurry, _she thought. _ Maybe she wanted to check on the Warehouse. Hope she doesn't vent all her anger on poor Artie. _

As Myka showered, she realized her hair was too long. _I'll ask Claudia to cut my hair again, before we leave for the airport. _She combed out her wet hair, but didn't dry it. She heard the B&B's front door slam shut, broadcasting Claudia's return, and the sound of footsteps running up the stairs.

Myka heard Claudia's bedroom door slam shut. _Better ask Leena to cut my hair instead. _She left the bathroom and went into her bedroom to change clothes.

Standing in front of her closet, Myka considered whether she should wear the same clothes to Hong Kong as in the previous timeline. _This time, we have to be even more careful. On the other hand, if I get overly cautious, second-guessing our every step, I could paralyze myself with fear. _

She heard Claudia slam the bathroom door.

Myka sighed tiredly. For now, she put on a T-shirt and jeans. She opened her bedroom door and saw Leena at the top of the stairs.

"I wanted to check on Claudia, to see if she's OK," Leena said. "But obviously, she's not OK. I have no idea what to say to her."

"Neither do I," Myka said sadly. "We were so sure we would get here early."

Myka frowned at the closed doors in the hallway. "Right now, though, we don't have time to mourn Steve's death. Because our time-travel trip was cut short, we barely have time to save Mrs. Frederic and the Warehouse."

She thought about her discussions with Claudia in the temporary office, working on their case. The note she posted on Claudia's door had read, "Solving puzzles, saving the day."

"Claudia has to concentrate, we all have to concentrate, on the fight to save Warehouse 13." Myka rubbed her forehead. "We just have to make it through the next few days."

"Artie wants Claudia and me back at the Warehouse," Leena said. "Trailer is going to stay with the Becketts for a while. I'm going to drop him off at their B&B. But before that, I'll make sure you and Pete are ready for your trip."

Myka asked Leena to cut her hair and found scissors in her dresser. As Myka sat in her desk chair, Leena held her long wet hair in one hand as a ponytail. With a few quick cuts, Leena shortened the hair length to just past Myka's shoulders. Without the weight of the longer hair, Myka's natural curls began to spring back quickly. Leena put the handful of cut hair into the trashcan.

Pete entered Myka's bedroom carrying an armload of large plastic water guns. "I bought these Super Soakers, before," he said to Leena. "Claudia and Steve and I were going to have big water-gun fights. But I don't want Claudia to see them. She's sad enough already. Will you please get rid of these?"

He glanced at Myka. "Hey, the curly hair is back. Classic Myka."

Myka heard the bathroom door open and footsteps marching up the hallway.

Claudia walked into the room, wearing a black T-shirt and black jeans. Over her shoulders, she wore a towel around her neck. Once again, Claudia had dyed her hair jet-black.

"And a change of hairstyle for Claudia, too." Pete nodded. "Cool."

Claudia frowned at Pete's armload of water guns. "Super Soakers," she said. "Hydro Cannons and Point Breaks. We were gonna have water fights with Steve."

"Sorry, Claude, I didn't know you were coming back to the B&B so soon," he said. "I'll put these away, out in the garage."

"Hold on. I might find a use for the Super Soakers. Or repurpose the plastic." Claudia studied them for a moment.

Myka watched Claudia frown in thought and fidget with the towel around her shoulders. _What's she working on in that genius brain of hers?_

"I'll take them with me and stash them in the Pete Cave." Claudia pointed over her shoulder. "I'm gonna borrow one of your duffel bags to carry them. Where's a mostly clean duffel bag?"

"What?" he asked.

"Marine!" Claudia said sternly. "Location of duffel bag?"

"Closet, top shelf," Pete said. He raised his eyebrows and looked questioningly at Myka. She shrugged.

Claudia darted from the room, and returned with a military-green duffel bag. She held open the bag and Pete put the plastic guns in it.

"Now about the mission," Claudia said. "You guys are booked on a private plane flying out from Vancouver. We're already ahead on the timeline to follow Sykes, so you'll get to Hong Kong early."

"Private plane?" Pete asked. "That's expensive. Artie's stretching the budget for this."

"Nope," Claudia said. "We're operating on Myka's plan this time." She moved the towel from around her neck, slung the duffel bag over her shoulder, and ran to her bedroom.

"Of course, you have a plan," he said to Myka. "What, pray tell, is your plan?"

"Basically, we win and Sykes loses," Myka said.

Claudia returned carrying her well-crafted copy of Helena's Grappler Gun. "Next, let's talk about my stash of weapons. Want to take this with you?"

Myka took the Grappler and tested its weight in her hands. "I wish I could. But, no."

"What about extra Teslas?" Claudia asked. "This time you can be more heavily armed."

Myka thought about how Sykes had used an artifact to manipulate Helena and then Pete. "We won't need more guns if we get stuck down in the Regent Sanctum with Sykes. We might be safer, at that point, if we carried less."

Myka looked at Pete. "Sykes has DeMille's Crop, an artifact which lets him control the physical movements of another person. In the Sanctum, Sykes manipulated Helena to point a pistol at us. If this trip is like last time, Helena, or actually Sykes, may try to hold me at gunpoint."

_Like last time, _she thought. _What if this time goes badly, too? _She decided to leave out the part where Helena shot her arm, and the part where a large ax hung over her head.

Pete grimaced. "I hate scenarios where you are held at gunpoint. But we can see the future. So can't we avoid those dangers?"

Myka frowned in thought. "Since we're headed for a confrontation with Sykes, I'm not sure we can avoid an actual fight. That's our next big question, I think. How many steps of the previous timeline do we repeat? And which steps do we change?"

_My plan is to kill Sykes before he kills any of us. But I don't know if I'll get the opportunity. _A wave of doubt swept over her. _We don't know what will happen this time, not with certainty. We're guessing. _

She paused when she realized they were all watching her, waiting for her to reveal the details of her plan.

"OK." She took a deep breath. "In the big picture, we know what happens. Pete and I intercept Helena and Sykes in Hong Kong. Claudia and Artie work with Mrs. Frederic and Leena at Warehouse 13. Set up defensive measures and be prepared, in case Sykes still has the bomb and manages to bring it through the Portal again. Until then, we have time to work out more of the details."

Pete shook his head. "I still can't believe we have a Stargate in Warehouse 13. That's just so cool."

The three women stared at him.

"What?" Pete asked. "The way that you described the Portal, and how it works for long-distance transportation, and it's all shimmery and everything. If it works like a Stargate, and it looks like a Stargate, I'm gonna call it a Stargate."

"Back to the emergency preparations," Claudia said. "Do you really think Sykes will invade the Warehouse again? Won't you guys stop him from coming through the Portal?"

"We'll try, of course," Myka said. "But we know his plan. He's determined to bring the Artifact-Bomb into Warehouse 13. I think we have to be prepared for all the possibilities."

"Then let's redraw our diagram of the Artifact-Bomb," Claudia said. "I need the picture as a reference."

Myka sent Pete to his room for an old sketchpad. From her room, Claudia brought her measuring tape. Myka and Claudia repeated their discussion of the bomb components as Pete listened. They recreated their diagram and Myka rewrote some of her case notes.

"Warehouse 13 is huge," Pete said. "I still can't picture it being completely gone."

"Dead and gone," Claudia said. "That was his plan. Sykes wanted to kill all of us." She fidgeted with her ring. "Our plan was to undo everything Sykes did. To save everyone he killed."

Myka looked up from the diagram. Claudia glared down at the picture with hatred in her eyes. Fearfully, Leena studied Claudia's face. Myka glanced back at Claudia. _This new timeline isn't going the way we planned. I hoped Claudia's direct involvement would be a strategic advantage this time. Maybe I was wrong to bring her on the time-travel trip, if it only made her emotional pain worse. _She sighed. _We just have to make it through the next few days. _

Copying their diagram, Pete sketched a picture to take with them on the plane. "OK," he said as he folded up his piece of paper. "I'm gonna pack for our trip to Hong Kong."

"Hey, Pete," Myka said, "on the flight, last time, the airplane food was really bad. You were unhappy about that."

"I'll pack my own snacks," he said. "I can't chase Bad Guys on an empty stomach." He left Myka's room.

Claudia sat glaring at the diagram of the Artifact-Bomb and fidgeting with her ring.

"I'll get some food ready in the kitchen," Leena said to Myka. "You'll want something healthy to take with you in the car." She left to go downstairs.

Myka closed her bedroom door and turned to look intently at Claudia. "OK, now tell me. What happened at the Warehouse?"


	26. Ch 26

Myka closed her bedroom door and turned to look intently at Claudia. "OK, now tell me. What happened at the Warehouse?"

"I went to see, you know, see Warehouse 13, standing there." Claudia looked down and shrugged.

"Someday, soon," Myka said, "we're going to work on your ability to keep a neutral facial expression. You need a better poker face."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You ran in and out of the B&B, jumped in your El Camino, and drove away in a big hurry," Myka said. "After a short trip to Warehouse 13, you raced back here and dyed your hair jet-black. So, please, tell me what's going on."

Claudia clenched her jaw and glared furiously. "Steve is dead."

Myka nodded sadly.

"The Pocketwatch should have worked. We were supposed to get here early." Tears rolled down her face. "It's not fair."

Myka shook her head.

"I went to the office, and Mrs. Frederic walked in, and it was just so, so weird," Claudia said. "I mean, I'm glad she's not dead. But I should be totally glad, you know, and I'm not, because Steve is still dead. We should be able to save him."

She fidgeted with her ring and took a deep breath. "We should use the Pocketwatch Artifact again, to travel back farther in time."

"We tried that," Myka said gently, "and it didn't work."

"Then we try again," Claudia shouted, "and we keep trying, until we get it right." She put her hand over her mouth and sobbed.

Myka put her arms around Claudia. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry."

After a few moments, she let go of Claudia. "My opinion has changed," Myka said quietly. "I think the Pocketwatch is too unpredictable to use, just like Artie feared. We can't risk another attempt, and endanger ourselves again."

Claudia wiped her eyes. "Mrs. Frederic agrees with you," she said. "We're all in trouble for using the Forbidden Artifact. She scolded me, personally, for using the Pocketwatch. I've probably been demoted from Junior Agent down to Kid Who Is Permanently Grounded."

Myka felt a sudden chill. _Mrs. Frederic was worried about Claudia specifically? _She had forgotten about the disturbing dream-message until now. _Mrs. Frederic was specific in my dream, too. She instructed me to "find Claudia." But she's right here. She can't be in any immediate danger. _

Myka surveyed Claudia's jet-black hair. "I doubt you're in more trouble than Artie," she said. "Or me, since I insisted we all use the Pocketwatch together. It was my plan to break the rules, and I endangered you in the process. Now that I think about it, I'm probably in some kind of official trouble."

"If Mrs. Frederic had come back to the office any sooner," Claudia said, "I'd be in official trouble."

"Why?"

Claudia opened the door, ran across the hall to her room, and returned carrying her laptop. "I'm working on our case, solving the puzzles." She opened her laptop to show its screen. "I broke more rules and snagged copies of some classifed files from the Warehouse system. No more secrets, right?"

Myka bit her lip. _Already, my words are coming back to haunt me. _"What files? How classified?"

"The case file on Walter Sykes, and the Collodi Bracelet background file, not really classified," Claudia said. "Tesla's personnel files, with his case notes, are classified, but I won't have any trouble hacking the encryption." She cleared her throat. "Plus one highly classifed file, heavily encrypted, for Regents only. I copied the file about the Pocketwatch."

* * *

In the office at Warehouse 13, Mrs. Frederic sat at Artie's computer, searching through a list to locate an artifact file. She reached into her jacket pocket and with the purple glove, took the Pocketwatch and set it on the desk.

_All this time, the missing Pocketwatch Artifact was in the Dead Agent Archive, sitting in James MacPherson's room. _She frowned at the watch. _Back you go, into the Escher Vault._

She found the file, recalled her Caretaker security passcode for Regent-level classified files, and opened the document. As she read from the computer screen, she thought, in her peripheral vision, she saw something. _Someone? _

She looked over her shoulder, but the office was still empty. Through the office windows, she could see no one standing on the overlook platform.

Reading from the screen again, she skimmed until she found one of Agent Nikola Tesla's entries. Two Warehouse agents attempted to use the Pocketwatch Artifact for time travel, but one agent died. In his case report, Tesla recorded his recommendation to the Regents.

"After the number of harmful and fatal incidents I have listed here," Tesla wrote, "I must conclude that some individuals are not allowed to use the Pocketwatch. Call it Destiny, or Fate, or some manner of physical impossibility, but these agents were prohibited from 'living' in another timeline."

"Perhaps the Pocketwatch allows for bending the laws of physics," he wrote, "but safeguards against breaking such laws. We understand so little about the Pocketwatch, and far too much remains unknown. Therefore, I must also conclude, and stridently insist, that further use of the Pocketwatch, by anyone, be forbidden."

Concentrating on her reading, Mrs. Frederic was slightly startled when the office door opened and Artie entered, breathing heavily from ascending the metal stairway onto the platform.

Artie glanced around the office and walked to the desk. "Was that Claudia, just now?"

Mrs. Frederic frowned. "Agent Donovan was here, briefly, but she left. That was some time ago."

"Oh," Artie said, "I thought I saw someone walking around."

He looked down at the desk and pointed. "Oh, and I need to store away the Pocketwatch Artifact. In all the turmoil, after our arrival, I forgot about that." He sighed tiredly. "I was thinking through the previous timeline, reviewing our steps inside the Warehouse. I remembered the Pulley Block Artifact from the _Mary Celeste_, and packed it away in a box."

Mrs. Frederic arched one of her eyebrows questioningly.

"To avoid," he said, "any future entanglements."

She pointed at the artifact on the desk. "I will take care of the Pocketwatch and return it to the Escher Vault."

"All those years ago," Artie said, "you suspected MacPherson was the one who removed it from the Vault."

"Yes, although at the time, I could not prove it," she said. "But after more recent events, I have confirmation, finally."

"Because he left the Pocketwatch in his desk, in the archive," he said.

Mrs. Frederic nodded. "Furthermore, when he was last inside Warehouse 13, we know he opened the Escher Vault. Agent MacPherson was never given the security clearance or the codes to unlock the Vault. But he must have found that classified information, years ago, and used it to retrieve the Pocketwatch."

"You changed all the codes and upgraded security," Artie said. "The last time, MacPherson couldn't get into the Vault without the Imperceptor Vest from H.G. Wells."

"And yet, MacPherson broke into the Escher Vault, again," she said. "An event that still disturbs me with its implications. We may never know how much information and how many artifacts he stole from Warehouse 13 while he was an agent."

With the purple glove, Mrs. Frederic picked up the watch and put it into her pocket. "Even today, we are still recovering those artifacts."

"MacPherson left a note with the watch," Artie said. "A note for me. He thought I might need the watch." He fidgeted with his glasses. "He was right."

"He had no intention of helping you, Arthur. Quite the opposite," she said. "But the Pocketwatch represents a great irony. MacPherson hated Warehouse 13 and everything it stood for. He opposed the Regents, and you, and me, vehemently. But we are here, in this office, because he was instrumental in your efforts to obtain a second chance. To save Warehouse 13."

* * *

In her bedroom at the B&B, Myka studied Claudia's face as she talked about how easily she would decrypt the forbidden files.

_I wish I could go with Claudia. Be there, in person, to protect her and Warehouse 13,_ she thought. _But I have a plane to catch. And a deadly enemy to catch. Or to kill, if I get the chance. _

Myka picked up the Grappler and estimated its weight again. _Wish I could carry more guns, too. But all that matters now is time, not weapons. We must catch up to Sykes. Helena is counting on us. _She briefly thought of Helena's last moments, holding the heavy power cables and activating the mini-barrier in a flash of light. _Sykes thinks she's his secret weapon. But Helena is our secret weapon. _

"Worried? About H.G.?" Claudia asked.

"Of course," she said. "But I was thinking about your stash of weapons. If we end up coming through the Portal again, into Warehouse 13, we could really use that stash, Helena and I."

"Yes, excellent." Claudia ran into her bedroom. She returned carrying three of her messenger bags. "I'll make Grab-and-Go bags. Give me a list of what you want."

"Bring the Grappler," Myka said. "We'll give it to Helena."

Claudia held open a messenger bag for her. "I'll stash one for you, too."

"Wait. You have another grappler?" Myka asked.

"Took me a while to work out the mechanics of H.G.'s Grappler Gun and test it," Claudia said. "After I figured it out, I went ahead and made several copies. I stashed the others at the Warehouse."

Myka laughed in surprise.

"What?" Claudia asked.

"You. You are my favorite Warehouse agent," Myka said. "Don't tell Pete."

Claudia suggested several more items and chatted about Teslas, but Myka was only half-listening.

_Don't tell Pete,_ Myka thought. She remembered Pete's voice calling to them in the backyard as they activated the Pocketwatch Artifact and left without him. _I kept secrets from Pete before we traveled back in time. _ She went to the nightstand and picked up her pistol. _I can't keep secrets from him now. But I can't tell him I'm going to kill Sykes, either._

She remembered Artie, at Yellowstone, reeling from his gunshot wound. She remembered Helena, in the Regent Sanctum, unwillingly holding a gun to her head.

Claudia cleared her throat. "Hey, are you OK?"

"I was still thinking about guns," Myka said. "Could you find something else for me and add it to our stash? I want the Corsican Vest."

"Good idea," Claudia said. "But don't you want to take it with you, to meet Sykes?"

"Sykes had almost total control over us with the DeMille Crop Artifact," Myka said. "I wouldn't want him to snag the Vest from me, somehow. I'd rather get it later, if I come back through the Portal."

_If Sykes enters the Warehouse again,_ Myka thought, _Pete and the others can get out of harm's way. Then I'll have more room to get a clear shot at Sykes._

Myka went to her dresser and retrieved an extra magazine of ammunition for her pistol. She went into Pete's room to borrow his second magazine. _Should I carry both magazines with me? Will I get a chance in Hong Kong to shoot Sykes? He's determined to get into Warehouse 13. Maybe I should stash them there._

She walked back into her bedroom and showed the magazines to Claudia. "Do you remember if we have more cartridges stocked in the Warehouse Armory?"

"The Armory has everything," Claudia said, "including standard-issue swords from Warehouse 2."

"OK," Myka said. "Add ammunition to the list for my Grab-and-Go bag. At least two magazines of cartridges."

"Extra ammo, check," Claudia said. "Expecting a gunfight?"

Myka avoided eye-contact. _Here I go again, keeping secrets from my closest friends. Stick to the truth. _

"Call it a back-up plan," she said. "We must be prepared for dangerous possibilities in this timeline."

"I've got some back-up plans, too," Claudia said.

Myka's brow furrowed slightly. "Such as?"

"In the Warehouse, I mean. Emergency prep." Claudia stared at her hand and fidgeted with her ring. "So, I'm gonna go," she pointed over shoulder, "downstairs and grab some food to go, too. You know, provisions."

Myka nodded. "All I have left to do is change clothes."

"Oh, hey," Claudia said. "Could I borrow one of your jackets?"

"Sure, go ahead." Myka pointed at her closet.

Claudia found a black jacket, which on Myka was mid-thigh in length. "Won't that be a bit long on you?" Myka asked.

"Nope." Claudia put on the jacket, which hung to her knees. "OK, gonna go collect more supplies." She darted out of the room.

Myka went to her closet to find a white button-down shirt and another jacket. _Wonder what else Claudia has planned._


	27. Ch 27

Alone in the main cabin of Walter Sykes's private plane, Helena studied yet another game of chess. Already, he had left twice to go into the cockpit or the other cabin. She appreciated his absence greatly.

Time alone gave her time to relax her defenses. Drinking water from her glass, she noted with relief that her nausea and headache were gone. _Rejoining one's physical body is not so easy as it would appear. I must remember to include that in my mission report. _

She glanced at the chessboard and sighed tiredly. _Sykes is no match for me, and he knows it. What do these games have to do with Caturanga?_

From the empty airplane seat beside her, Helena picked up an old hardbound book. After another round of questions about her teacher and the Regents, Sykes handed her the book and ordered her to refresh her skills.

"Classic Tactics of Chess," written under a pseudonym, included many of Caturanga's lessons and insights. Helena skimmed the diagrams and explanations, pausing occasionally to reread key sentences.

More than its content about the game, the book refreshed Helena's memories of working at Warehouse 12 and of Caturanga himself. _Happier days, full of wonderment. _She reflexively reached up to clasp the locket she wore around her neck.

She set the book down beside her and leaned her head back against the airplane seat. With her eyes closed, she tried to recall some of those happier moments. She envisioned her daily chess matches with Caturanga. Although he was a master of the game, and of its history, he treated each of their matches as an opportunity to discover some new strategy.

Excessively tired, she felt herself growing drowsy. She envisioned sitting across a chessboard from Caturanga, drinking tea and discussing their Warehouse work. She remembered his voice, animatedly explaining the historical background of missing artifacts yet to be rediscovered.

Half-asleep, she shifted in her seat, trying to get more comfortable. _Artifact missions are always fascinating, but these long journeys home can be tiresome. Fortunately, there aren't many people on this train today. I shall be glad to return to the Warehouse_.

* * *

In her dream, Helena Wells played chess with Caturanga. She studied the positions of the pieces. He moved his knight closer toward check.

She searched the board again for a way to outmaneuver him. Caturanga chatted pleasantly, as always, but his voice was muffled.

As she strained to hear what he was actually saying, another voice spoke quite clearly.

_"Helena."_

She looked up from the chessboard.

Mrs. Frederic stood nearby, staring intently at her.

_How odd, _Helena thought. _Mrs. Frederic does not belong in Warehouse 12. This must be a dream. _She turned her attention back to the chessboard. Caturanga's muffled conversation continued, and she was glad for his company.

_"Helena," _Mrs. Frederic said. _"It's time to go." _

Startled by Mrs. Frederic's stern and urgent tone, Helena looked up again and realized the woman's form was not hazy or dream-like. She grew anxious. _Since I am dreaming, how is it possible that Mrs. Frederic is standing here?_ She wanted to ask Caturanga about this, but he seemed to be fading from her sight.

_"It's time to go," _Mrs. Frederic said.

Helena could feel her heart pounding. "Where am I going?"

"_Find Claudia. Joshua," _Mrs. Frederic said. _"MacPherson is playing the Long Game."_

Helena awoke with a gasp. Anxiously searching her surroundings, she realized she was still in the airplane cabin.

Her heart raced, but she sank further into her seat. _I am still in the custody of that madman_. _My fears persist, even while I sleep._

She reached for the pitcher and poured more water into her glass. Her hand shook as she raised the glass to drink. _Most of my dreams are impressions, or glimpses of memories. But Mrs. Frederic seemed quite real, standing beside me. _

_Apparently she wished to deliver her message in person. _Helena reviewed the brief but urgent words Mrs. Frederic had spoken. _I know MacPherson cannot harm anyone, because I killed him_.

She frowned and rubbed her forehead. _I do not understand why Claudia needs to be found. She is certainly at the Warehouse, with Myka and the others. Since she is at home, she could not be in any immediate danger, surely._

She glanced at the chessboard. _Sykes is the key to this puzzling dream, I think. He went to a great deal of trouble to capture me. Undoubtedly, he intends further trouble to those associated with Warehouse 13, including Claudia. _

Helena remembered the last time she saw Claudia. They stood outdoors, in the woods, with Myka and Pete, debating the necessity of destroying the Janus Coin. When she said her goodbyes to Claudia, she assured the young agent of a glorious future, a destiny obvious to her and to everyone but Claudia herself.

_Claudia is exceptionally brilliant_. _Certainly, she is one of the Warehouse's most valuable agents. _She took another drink of water. _Sykes has collected many artifacts, which he apparently plans to use. Now he has collected me, to use me for some knowledge I supposedly hold about Caturanga and past Regents. _

Her pulse quickened. _Claudia's knowledge of the current Warehouse system is vast. What if Claudia is in danger, somehow, from Sykes? _

Helena tried to calm herself. _Think rationally. Hong Kong is a world away from South Dakota and from Warehouse 13. Likewise, Sykes is far away from Claudia. If I can keep Sykes away from the Warehouse, _she reasoned, _I can protect Claudia, and Myka. All of them. _

Helena stood up in the empty cabin and paced in the limited space.

_After all the danger I have brought on these people with my previous actions, perhaps this is my opportunity to make amends, however small. I must find a way to stop Walter Sykes, and end his terrible vendetta against Warehouse 13._

Helena glanced at the chessboard and remembered Mrs. Frederic's stern expression. _But who is Joshua?_ she thought. _I cannot recall anyone with that name. We did locate the Joshua's Trumpet Artifact. Perhaps that was not part of the message. _

She sighed tiredly and rubbed her temples. _How am I to understand or interpret such a dream? Even by Warehouse standards, this is all quite strange._

* * *

The door between airplane cabins opened and Walter Sykes rolled his wheelchair into the main cabin.

Helena took a deep breath. _While I sleep, my dreams disturb me. While I'm awake, my present situation frightens me._

In Sykes's lap lay the DeMille Crop, which he used to manipulate the physical movements of other people, herself included. _As long as he has that artifact at hand, my chances of escape, or of overpowering him, are not good. _

Sykes moved his wheelchair to sit by the chessboard and survey the pieces. "Any progress?"

Helena stepped to the board, reached down, and moved her bishop. "Checkmate."

Sykes smirked. "Reset the board."

Helena sat in her airplane seat and collected the chess pieces.

The door opened again and the young man, Tyler, entered.

Sykes glared at Tyler and shifted his wheelchair back, away from their chessboard. "Cracked those classified files yet?"

As she set up the black pieces, Helena watched the two men. She noticed the young man tremble slightly. Dark circles underlined his eyes.

"The Warehouse files are heavily encrypted, just like the one about her." Tyler pointed at Helena. "It'll probably take just as long to hack into these files, too."

"I need to know what's in those files," Sykes said. With one hand, he reached behind his seat, and from a canvas bag hanging on the back of his wheelchair, retrieved a baseball bat and set it across his lap. Sykes never completely let go of the DeMille Crop.

Helena noticed that Tyler flinched at the sight of the baseball bat. Sykes cradled the handle of the bat in the crook of his arm.

_I do hope that is not another artifact, _she thought. _He doesn't brandish it, like a weapon. From how closely he holds it to his chest, he treats it fondly. Some memento, perhaps. _

"We have a long flight to Hong Kong. Make the most of it, Tyler," Sykes said to him. "Get back to work."

Quickly, the young man left the cabin.

Sykes grunted. "Reliable help is so hard to find. I wouldn't have this problem if Steve had done his job."

Helena finished lining up the white chess pieces. "Steve kidnapped Emily Lake and captured the Janus Coin, following your orders," she said. "But immediately after his mission, you murdered him. I must point out that a dead man can hardly be a dutiful employee."

"When Marcus and Steve captured your Janus Coin," Sykes said, "they were supposed to abduct Claudia Donovan, too. But Steve let her get away."

Helena felt a chill run through her veins.

"With her skills," he said, "Miss Donovan could decrypt those classified files pretty quickly, and I would have the answers I need."

She gaped at him in silence.

Sykes frowned at the chessboard. "Your move."


	28. Ch 28

As Myka opened her bedroom door, she heard the front door slam. Walking through the upstairs hallway, she thought she heard the front door open again, followed by unhappy voices.

_Now what happened? _she wondered.

In the downstairs hallway, Myka found Leena, who frowned and stood with her arms crossed.

From the Reading Room, Claudia hurried into the hallway, carrying several messenger bags and Pete's bulky duffel bag slung over her shoulders. Claudia rushed between Leena and Myka, and marched out the front door, shouting, "Another stupid plan to get us all killed."

Pete walked out of the kitchen carrying two handfuls of cookies. "What's going on?" he asked with his mouth full.

He walked to the open front door and craned his neck to see outside. "Claudia is still yelling," he said. "Is it possible she's arguing with her El Camino?"

"Artie called, on the Farnsworth," Leena said. "Dr. Vanessa is on her way to Univille."

Pete looked at Myka questioningly, and she shrugged. "The lovely Dr. Vanessa makes a housecall," Pete said as he ate another cookie. "Artie gets to see his favorite Warehouse physician. I don't see the problem."

"Artie wasn't the one who called her," Leena said. "The Regents want Dr. Vanessa to consult on the case."

"What case?" Myka asked.

They watched as Claudia returned through the front door, passed them in stony silence, and went into the kitchen.

"The case of Walter Sykes," Leena said. "The Regents want Dr. Vanessa to examine Sykes, after he's captured, and recommend how he can be treated."

_The Regents, _Myka thought. _I was so busy planning to fight Sykes, I forgot about the Regents, and all the ways they can interfere with our plan._

"We had a plan, to fix everything," Claudia shouted from the kitchen. She walked into the hallway carrying the blue rectangular cooler in front of her. Pausing near them, she shifted the heavy container. "First, the Pocketwatch Artifact didn't work. It didn't take us back far enough. Now the Regents are arriving at Warehouse 13, just to hold more stupid meetings."

Leena sighed. "Artie said the Regents are trying to be cautious."

"We didn't travel back in time just so the Regents could screw up our plans again," Claudia said. "Tell them, Leena." Claudia barged between Myka, Pete, and Leena, and lugged the cooler through the open front door. She called over her shoulder, "Tell them whose bright idea this was."

_Oh no._ Myka clenched her jaw. _I think I can guess._

"Mrs. Lattimer," Leena said slowly, "wants to know if there's any way Sykes can be treated for his obsession with the Collodi Bracelet."

Pete stopped chewing his last mouthful of cookies, his eyes wide in surprise.

Myka stared at the floor, trying to hide her anger. _Don't say anything about Jane Lattimer. She's still Pete's mom. Don't say anything. _ She pictured Sykes, holding the DeMille Crop, forcing Helena to hold her at gunpoint. _Sykes isn't going to make it to his doctor's appointment. I'm going to kill Walter Sykes. _

Myka and the others watched as Claudia returned indoors and ran upstairs.

Pete looked at Myka. "I've got a bad vibe," he said. "For a second, I got distracted by Claudia carrying that big cooler, full of food. I mean, Claudia's really thin. Why would she need all that food?"

Myka frowned. "Pete? Focus."

"I've got a bad vibe, about Claudia," he said. "I think Claudia is in danger somehow."

Myka felt a slight shiver of recognition. _Pete and I have had this conversation before. Weird._

Myka realized Leena was staring at her. "Leena?" she asked.

"Yeah," Leena said slowly. "Claudia's anger is greater than what I sensed when she first came to Warehouse 13. But something else is going on with her aura." She studied Myka's face intently. "It's only natural that Steve's death would affect everyone's aura. Myka, your aura is looking rather unusual, too."

Myka bit her lip. _OK, we're repeating part of the previous timeline here, and not in a good way. _

Claudia hurried back down the stairs carrying a cardboard box and wearing a Tesla Rifle slung over her shoulder.

"Whoa, Claude," Pete said. "Hold on."

Myka saw several Teslas in the top of the box Claudia stood holding. _She's moving her stash of weapons to the Warehouse_.

Pete pointed at Claudia's black hair, swept his finger down to point at her boots, and swept his finger back up again. "You're all decked out in black. You're carrying plenty of weapons. Please tell me you're not going to turn into Dark Willow."

Claudia arched one of her eyebrows. "I was considering Sarah Connor, from _Terminator 2_, or maybe Ripley, from _Aliens_. I'll keep you posted." She turned on her heel and walked out the front door.

Pete looked at Myka, wide-eyed. "OK, was Dark Claudia part of your 'Save the Warehouse Plan'?"

"Claudia dyed her hair black," Myka said, "and she's wearing one of my black jackets that's a little too long for her, because she's angry. Furious about how badly we lost last time." Myka rubbed her forehead. "Worried about how badly this timeline may be going. We just need to get through the next few days."

"You said Marcus came here to the B&B," Leena said, "and he planned to kill me, and Mrs. Frederic, too."

Myka nodded. "You and Claudia, everyone, will be at the Warehouse this time, so Marcus can't hurt anyone."

"Myka and I catch up to Sykes in Hong Kong," Pete said, "rescue H.G., and snag the bomb."

"Claudia works inside the Warehouse this time, in case we need her help deactivating the Artifact-Bomb," Myka said. "Leena, we need you to monitor the surveillance and security systems from the office. But even if Sykes gets through the Portal again, I think everyone is safer there, together at Warehouse 13."

_We'll all be safe,_ Myka thought, _after I kill Walter Sykes._

Pete's cellphone rang. He dug it out of his jeans pocket and looked at the caller ID. "My mom." He pointed over his shoulder. "I'll be in the kitchen another minute."

Through the front door, Claudia darted in and ran up the stairs.

"Do you think," Leena asked, "that this timeline is already going badly?"

Myka grew uncomfortable as Leena watched her closely. _I hope Leena can't read my mind this time, either. Stick to the truth._

"We didn't get here early enough to save Steve, or those Regents." Myka sighed tiredly. "But we're still early on the timeline to get to Hong Kong. The earlier the better, I think. Sykes wanted to kill all of us, and he almost succeeded. But this time, I will stop him. I'll stop him before he can hurt any of us."

Leena studied Myka's face again. "Be careful you don't get lost," she said gravely. "Be careful you don't lose yourself in the conflict."

A small wave of fear ran through Myka. _We're repeating conversations from the previous timeline, _she thought. _I hope we don't have to repeat that timeline's dangerous events, too._

Claudia hurried down the stairs, wearing another messenger bag, and carrying a small piece of paper. "Here." Claudia unfolded the paper to reveal a photograph, and handed it to Myka. "You take my photo of H.G. and Wolcott. For good luck."

Myka stared at the creased photo of Helena's calm and confident smile on one side, and Agent Wolcott on the other. "Thank you," she said after a moment.

Claudia quickly hugged Leena. "See you at the Warehouse." She hugged Myka just as briefly. "Get home safe." Claudia turned and hurried toward the front door.

Pete came out of the kitchen into the hallway. "Hey, Claudia," he called.

Claudia stopped in the doorway, ran back to Pete, quickly hugged him, and hurried toward the open front door. She called over her shoulder, "See you at the Stargate."

Pete nodded. "Stargate. Cool."

Myka looked at Helena's old photo again. _First, we've got a meeting in Hong Kong._


	29. Ch 29

In the main office of Warehouse 13, Mrs. Frederic and Artie studied a large map on his work table. Artie showed her where the Portal from the ancient Regent Sanctum opened into the Warehouse.

He explained how Marcus Diamond fired Black Barty's Cannon at the Warehouse, activating the protective Barrier. Finally, Artie recounted the self-sacrificing efforts of H.G. Wells, in the Ovoid Quarantine, to save Artie, Myka, and Pete with a small protective bubble modified from the Barrier.

Mrs. Frederic sighed. "I wish I could believe this timeline will turn out better. But as long as Walter Sykes has the Artifact-Bomb, and his collection of artifacts, we will remain in a great deal of danger."

"We know how Sykes plans to enter the Warehouse," Artie said, "and we know when." He fidgeted with his glasses. "We also know what he plans to do, if he gets inside."

"Yes, but we don't know what events may go differently this time," Mrs. Frederic said. "Let us hope we know enough to stop Sykes."

Mrs. Frederic and Artie heard the sound of the Umbilical door opening.

Claudia Donovan entered the office carrying a bulky military-green duffel bag over her shoulder. Next to the door, she paused and set the large bag in the high-backed upholstered chair. "Myka and Pete are on their way to Hong Kong," she said.

Mrs. Frederic noted the considerable change in Claudia's appearance. Her newly dyed jet-black hair coordinated with her T-shirt, jeans, and her black coat. _Agent Donovan's outlook may be even more pessimistic than my own, _she thought.

"Claudia," Artie said hoarsely. "I'm so sorry about Steve. I don't understand why the Pocketwatch Artifact didn't take us back farther. I'm sorry."

She hugged Artie, but didn't say anything.

"As I told Agent Donovan earlier," Mrs. Frederic said, "the Pocketwatch Artifact is extremely dangerous. I am quite surprised that all of you made the trip safely." She looked over the top of her glasses at Claudia. "I also told her, she will not risk such an effort again."

Claudia ignored her comments and glared at the papers on Artie's work table. "Is this a map of Warehouse 13?" Claudia asked. "How do you fit the endless wonder onto one piece of paper?"

Mrs. Frederic cleared her throat. "This diagram limits the wonder to a general overview of the building itself. I wanted to see where the Portal opens, in relation to the Warehouse's main structure."

"We're reviewing everything that happened in the Warehouse last time." Artie fidgeted with his glasses. "I told Mrs. Frederic what I remembered about the protective Barrier and how it worked."

From her coat, Claudia retrieved several pieces of paper and handed them to Artie. "Here's more info, for your review. Myka and I drew a diagram of the Artifact-Bomb. She also wrote out some notes, stuff we want to remember if Sykes tries to break in again."

Through the door from the Warehouse interior, Regent Jane Lattimer walked into the office. "I checked the Escher Vault," Jane said. She recognized Claudia and stopped. "Agent Donovan," she said gently, "I'm truly sorry for your loss. Steve Jinks was an outstanding agent."

"Excuse me," Claudia said flatly. "I have work to do." She turned on her heel and went into an adjacent storage room.

Jane sighed. "I found the pin that Artie described, but I didn't find anything else from the Regents of Warehouse 7."

Claudia came out of the storage room with a large inventory pushcart, and wheeled it out the door into the Umbilical.

"Artie, you said the symbol on this pin gives us a clue to the location of the ancient Regent Sanctum?" Jane asked.

"Yes," he said. "It's the Chinese symbol for aperture, or opening, or eye. This symbol corresponds to the Eye of Horus pins the Regents wear now." Artie walked to the wall, pulled down one of the hanging maps, and pointed. "See how these roads around Hong Kong form the shape, roughly?"

Jane moved to stand beside him. "The Eye of Horus symbol is on the map," she said. "Is that the pupil of the eye, that city there?"

"Yes, Tai Po," Artie said. "That's where the Regent Sanctum is hidden, underground, beneath a Chinese restaurant."

"The Eye of Horus not only represents the Regents, it represents the location of the Sanctum, too," Jane said. "Incredible."

Claudia entered the office, her pushcart filled with several bags and boxes. She grabbed the duffel bag from the chair and slung it over her shoulder. She maneuvered her pushcart across office and through the other door onto the Warehouse overlook.

"What did Agent Bering say," Jane asked, "about the Regent Sanctum itself, and the Portal?"

"The Portal is opened by playing a rather unusual chess game," Artie said. "Turns out, it's not a true chess game, but a puzzle. Solving the puzzle opens the Portal into Warehouse 13."

"Sykes abducted H.G. Wells," Jane said, "because she knows how to solve the puzzle."

"Sykes assumes she can open the Portal," Artie said. "But from what Myka said, H.G. didn't know how to open it. Apparently, she didn't know anything about Caturanga's chess-lock. Fortunately for Myka, H.G. figured out how to solve the puzzle at the last minute." He sighed tiredly. "H.G. figured out how to save our lives at the last minute, too, when she modified the Barrier."

Claudia, with her pushcart, came back through office and went out through the Umbilical.

Jane held up her wrist and adjusted the Remati Shackle. "The good news is, we know the Warehouse Barrier works the way it was designed to."

"I would prefer," Mrs. Frederic said, "that we prevent another explosion, and avoid testing the Barrier's capabilities. However, I want to examine the powerbox in the Ovoid Quarantine, just in case. It may prove helpful to understand how Miss Wells accessed the Barrier's power."

Mrs. Frederic watched as Claudia returned through the Umbilical door. Her pushcart was filled again with bags and boxes, and on the top sat a large blue rectangular cooler.

She wasn't listening as Artie answered another question from Jane and pointed to the map on the wall.

Avoiding the other people in the office, Claudia steered through the office toward the interior door.

_Agent Donovan seems to be making preparations of her own, _Mrs. Frederic thought.

"Claudia," Mrs. Frederic said.

Claudia jumped slightly in surprise. "Yeah?" She stopped pushing her cart and turned around.

"I would like your assistance," Mrs. Frederic said.

Claudia stood with her back to the pushcart, and reached behind her to hold the handle.

"OK, sure. I'll just move my stuff," Claudia pointed over her shoulder, "out of the way." Hurriedly she maneuvered the cart through the door out onto the Warehouse overlook.

Mrs. Frederic watched Claudia through the office windows for a moment. She turned and went to Artie's computer to retrieve information about the Warehouse Barrier. Glancing at Artie, Mrs. Frederic noticed him fidget with his glasses as he talked to Jane Lattimer.

_Arthur is nervous about the threat to Warehouse 13, _she thought. _I wonder if Claudia is nervous for the same reason. _

She read through the file while Artie answered more questions from Jane. Artie and Jane walked over to the desk as they concluded a brief discussion of the Collodi Bracelet.

Claudia returned to the office, but stopped just inside and stood near the door.

"When Dr. Calder arrives," Jane said, "I'd like her to read the background files on Walter Sykes and advise us about his treatment. More importantly, Mr. Kosan is on his way to meet us. While we're waiting for him, I'd like all of you to assist me in setting up our plan."

Mrs. Frederic stared at Jane. "Your plan?"

"Yes," Jane said. "The Regents have a plan to deal with Walter Sykes. This time, we hope to avoid a confrontation with Sykes altogether."

Artie, wide-eyed, rubbed his beard and glanced at Mrs. Frederic's stern face.

"No!" Claudia shouted. "The Regents' plan already failed. That's how we lost Warehouse 13. Your plan failed."

"Claudia," Artie said.

"Myka was right," Claudia said loudly. "We are the Warehouse agents, not you. We snag dangerous objects all the time. We're going to snag the Artifact-Bomb. We're even going to snag Sykes. But you Regents have got to stop interfering and let us do our jobs."

"Agent Donovan," Jane said calmly, "your help is greatly needed as we deal with this situation. But as Regents, we must consider every means at our disposal. We must consider Walter Sykes himself, and the possibility that he might give up his vendetta."

"Give up?" Artie asked. "Sykes killed 7 Regents already. We know he's planning to kill you, too. We know he plans to kill us all, because he told us, to our faces. What makes you think Sykes would just give up?"

"Please, wait until Mr. Kosan arrives," Jane said. "He'll be here soon, and we can fully explain our plan. In the meantime, Claudia, I'd like you to track down Walter Sykes's private plane."

Mrs. Frederic took a step toward Jane, purposely placing herself between the Regent and the furious young agent. "Time is of the essence, Jane," she said. "We must complete all our preparations as soon as possible. While you and Artie locate the airplane, I must examine the Warehouse Barrier's power system with Agent Donovan."

Quickly, Artie moved to sit at his computer.

Jane nodded. "Of course, Irene. That's a wise idea. I'll call you when Mr. Kosan arrives."

Mrs. Frederic turned to stare intently at Claudia and nodded her head toward the office door.

Claudia moved to stand at the door and looked through the window, with her back to the office.

Quickly, Mrs. Frederic rolled up the large paper map of Warehouse 13. Glancing around the office, she found one of Artie's messenger bags. She collected the pages of Myka's notes, put them into the bag, and slung it over her shoulder. She picked up the long roll of paper near the middle, and pointed one end toward the ceiling.

Claudia opened the door for Mrs. Frederic to carry the map as they walked onto the overlook-platform.

Mrs. Frederic stood at the railing and gazed out over the vast interior. _I have worked many years as Caretaker of this Warehouse. It is difficult for me to imagine its absence. _She glanced at Claudia and took a deep breath. _I must protect Warehouse 13, and the future Caretaker. _

Claudia stood several feet away, arms crossed, glaring out across the inventory. "I can't believe this is happening," she said. "We're going to lose everything, again."

With her free hand, Mrs. Frederic pulled at the hem of her suit jacket. "Don't be too hasty, Agent Donovan."

"What?" Claudia asked.

"We haven't lost yet," Mrs. Frederic said. "For the moment, time appears to be on our side."

"What about the Regents?" Claudia asked. "Isn't it your job to follow their orders?"

"My job is to protect Warehouse 13," Mrs. Frederic said. "Walter Sykes will not succeed in his plan to destroy it, not as long as I am Caretaker."

Claudia gaped at her in silence.

"Meet me in the Ovoid Quarantine in half an hour." Mrs. Frederic turned, walked along the overlook-platform, and descended the metal staircase.


	30. Ch 30

Hastily, Helena moved one of her pawns. She clasped her hands together tightly in her lap. _Abduct Claudia? Along with the Janus Coin? _Her thoughts raced as she stared absently at the chessboard. _That means Marcus came frightfully close to kidnapping her, in the woods. _She focused on her own clenched hands. _For Claudia's sake, then, I am relieved that I was the one they captured. _

She glanced at Sykes as he moved a pawn forward. _After all, I have some experience, dealing with madmen. I stopped MacPherson, dead in his tracks. _She glanced at the airplane window next to her seat._ If only we were not traveling in an airplane designed for such high velocity. In a slower vehicle, at a lower altitude, I could easily toss him overboard. _She reached up to the board and moved one of her bishops.

Sykes glared at the chessboard. "I never believed Steve's story. He claimed he'd been wrongfully fired from Warehouse 13. Claimed the Regents had ruined him, and no law enforcement agency would ever hire him. All Steve wanted was revenge for what the Regents had done to him." Sykes smiled slightly. "His claims were easy enough to test."

Sykes moved another pawn. "When Steve returned with the Janus Coin, but without Miss Donovan, I knew he was working undercover, looking for a way to sabotage my plan." He shifted the baseball bat in his lap, and cradled the handle in the crook of his arm. "I know what revenge looks like, and revenge does not include protecting pretty Warehouse agents."

_A Warehouse agent, working undercover for this madman. _Helena moved another pawn. _Steve's efforts to protect Claudia were successful. But for her safety, he traded his life. A noble and selfless sacrifice, to protect a fellow agent. _She stared down at her clasped hands. _I can only hope I get the chance to tell Claudia about her friend's heroism._

"You know what revenge looks like," he said.

She looked up to see Sykes smirking at her.

"You tracked down the men who killed your daughter, and killed them yourself."

Helena's adrenaline surged. "I wanted justice," she said fiercely. "The French authorities made no attempt to investigate her murder, let alone arrest anyone. The British government had no authority on French soil." Reflexively, she clutched the locket at her throat. "I had to do something. If not for my actions, those men who murdered Christina would have gone completely unpunished. Deadly criminals roaming free, free to murder more people, more children."

Sykes smiled coldly, and she cursed herself for losing her composure in front of him.

He nodded. "See? We have a great deal in common, you and I. We know what revenge is, and we'll do anything to get it."

"You and I have nothing in common," Helena said. "I wanted justice for my daughter's murder."

"Justice is exactly what I want," Sykes said loudly. "Justice for what the Regents did to me, 30 years ago. What the Regents did was wrong, and they refused to make it right. Call it justice, or revenge. Call it whatever you want. But I'm going to make it right."

"Thirty years ago?" Helena asked, frowning in thought. "Thirty years ago, you would have been a child. The Regents, and the Warehouse agents, work to protect people from harm. They would never intentionally harm anyone, certainly not a child."

"They took what was mine," Sykes shouted. "With my bracelet, I could walk." As Sykes ranted, his eyes changed color, as if a pool of black ink spread over his irises.

_Oh, no_. _His eyes. _Fear swept over Helena. _Such an unnatural appearance. The effect in his eyes surely indicates an artifact. That might account for some of his strange behavior. _She stared at the black pools in his eyes. _Walter Sykes is under the influence of an artifact. _

"The Regents stole from me," he said. "They robbed me of my freedom, of the life I was supposed to have. I'm in this wheelchair because of them. But not for much longer."

She watched as the black pools receded from his eyes. _Sykes himself is a puzzle. But puzzles can be solved. You are a trained Warehouse agent,_ she scolded herself. _Think rationally. _She took a deep breath. _If I can confiscate the artifact that is affecting him, perhaps I can stop Sykes and end this madness. _

She looked at his arms, but could see nothing around his wrists, nothing visible past the cuffs of his shirtsleeves. _But he said he doesn't have the bracelet. Then what artifact is causing the strange appearance in his eyes? _She studied the objects he held in his lap. _Is the baseball bat an artifact, after all? Or does using the DeMille Crop Artifact produce this effect?_

"I'm going to get my bracelet back," he said. "Then the Regents, and everyone at Warehouse 13, will pay for what they did to me."

_Sykes wants a bracelet of some sort, and he murdered those people to get it. He plans to go on killing, and exact his revenge against those who work for Warehouse 13. _She frowned at the strangeness of the man seated across from her. _This bracelet must be a terrible artifact to precipitate so much death. _

"Bracelet?" she asked. "I don't understand what you mean."

"The Collodi Bracelet," Sykes said. "With my bracelet, I could walk. They called it an artifact, and said I couldn't keep it, that my bracelet would hurt me." The unnatural black pools appeared in his eyes again. "But losing my bracelet is what hurt me."

"Collodi?" Helena searched her memory. "The Italian author? Carlo Collodi?"

"That's what the Regent woman told me," Sykes said. "Told me the name of some dead Italian guy. As if useless information would matter to a boy who couldn't walk. But when I grew up, I tracked down some truly useful information, about who took my bracelet, and where to find it. I also tracked down that Regent woman's identity. In fact, you may know her."

"I told you earlier," she said, "the Regents maintain their distance from Warehouse agents, to hide their identities. Field agents work quite independently, traveling and retrieving artifacts."

"Then apparently I know more than you," he said, "about the Regents and their close ties to the agents. You've met Agent Pete Lattimer."

Helena pulled her hand back from the knight she'd planned to move. She clasped her hands tightly in her lap.

"Lattimer is another Warehouse agent who insists on interfering in other people's lives. Arrogance runs in his family."

Helena gaped at him.

"Jane Lattimer," he said, "Pete's mother, is a Regent. She's the one who took my bracelet." Sykes held his baseball bat closer to his chest. "But soon, Jane Lattimer is going to give it back to me."

As Helena tried to comprehend his account, she heard a brief series of audio signals from an electronic device.

Sykes retrieved his mobile phone and looked at its face. "That's Marcus. He's going to be keeping an eye on Warehouse 13, and on the Warehouse agents." Sykes shifted his wheelchair back from the chessboard, wheeled toward the door, and left the main cabin.

Helena rubbed her temples. _This case grows more puzzling by the hour. Apparently, Sykes plans to kill Jane Lattimer and the remaining Regents. He threatened all the Warehouse agents, as well. _

She glanced at the chessboard and set the small table aside. _Pete Lattimer was correct in his assessment of imminent danger. Whatever Sykes is planning, it will be deadly for many people. _

She looked out the airplane window and frowned. _Meanwhile, I am flying high above the ocean, in this airplane which is tightly sealed. _With her knuckle, she knocked against the transparent material. _It's a great pity these windows cannot be opened. Throwing Sykes overboard would resolve this crisis in short order. _

She crossed her arms, leaned her head back against the seat, and closed her eyes. _All puzzles have solutions. Undoubtedly, the solution to this crisis will likewise become apparent. I can only hope I find it in time._

* * *

Pete stood next to Myka, waiting inside a small terminal at the Vancouver airport. On the floor at his feet, Pete had piled his messenger bag, which held his laptop, and two large backpacks filled with snacks.

A few other people sat in the terminal, but Myka was too restless to remain seated.

"I can't believe we have a Stargate in the Warehouse," Pete whispered loudly. "That is so cool. Too bad we can't open it from our side and go to Hong Kong that way."

Not really listening to him, Myka stared up at the TV screen on the wall. The airport's information channel showed a map with a bad weather forecast.

"Hey, maybe after this case is over," he said, "Claudia can fix up the Stargate for regular trips. That would be awesome."

Myka bit on her fingernail and studied the weather patterns on the screen. The video showed an approaching storm off the coast that threatened to interfere with international flights.

_We're going to get there early,_ she told herself. _Our flight to Hong Kong is scheduled to depart in half an hour. Claudia booked us on private plane. The pilot is completing his final preparations. We're good to go._

She looked up at the video screen, and frowned at the weather warnings. _But what if the weather gets worse? What if we can't get to Hong Kong in time?_

"Myka?" he asked.

She nodded, answering her own question. "We're going to be early this time. We're going to be early enough to stop Sykes. Helena's counting on us, even if she doesn't actually know we're on our way."

Myka remembered Helena's fearful expression when she and Pete descended into the Regent Sanctum with their guns drawn. _Helena knows we're coming to get her. That's why she left her locket for us to find. Helena knows. _

"Hey." Pete moved to stand in front of Myka, blocking her view of the video screen. "We're gonna get there in time. We're gonna fix everything."

She nodded again, trying to reassure herself that what she hoped was indeed true.

"Why don't we call Artie?" Pete pulled the Farnsworth out of his jacket. "You know, check in and see how it's going back at headquarters."

Artie answered immediately, but he spoke slowly. "I'm looking at international flights, and airplane schedules, including yours." They heard him keying something into the computer. "I notice there's a big storm front developing. It doesn't look good."

Myka realized she was biting her fingernail. "Artie, please find me some good news, OK? Our flight leaves," she said as she checked her watch, "in 28 minutes."

"Hold on." Artie's face disappeared from the Farnsworth screen.

"Pete, we've got to leave now," she said hoarsely. "We have to get to Hong Kong early."

He patted her shoulder. "Yeah. Artie?" he called into the Farnsworth.

Artie's face reappeared on the video screen. "Not good. Looks like the storm is rapidly getting stronger. Oh, wait." He looked away.

"Artie?" she asked.

"I'm afraid the news is bad." Artie shook his head. "Air Traffic Control is delaying international flights as we speak. I'm sorry, Myka. Your plane won't be able to take off yet."

Tears filled her eyes and she turned away from the Farnsworth.

"For the storm to blow through and move out of the way, looks like another 2 hours," Artie said. "After that, all the delayed flights will be lined up on the runway to leave. I'll try and get your flight moved up near the top of the waiting list. Tell Myka, I'm sorry."

Pete closed the Farnsworth.

"I can't believe this is happening." Myka couldn't stop herself from crying. "We were supposed to get to Hong Kong early. That was the plan. But now?" She crossed her arms tightly. "What if we don't get there in time? What if we're too late?"


	31. Ch 31

Standing in the small waiting room at the Vancouver airport, Myka stared sadly at the video screen listing cancelled international flights.

_We planned to be early, _she thought. _On this new timeline, we were supposed to get to Hong Kong early. Instead, we may be late catching up to Helena. _She felt another tear roll down her cheek. _What if we're too late?_

"Hey." Pete pulled her into a big hug. "We still have time, right?"

"Yeah," she said against his shoulder.

"OK then." He let her go. "So you're Myka, and Myka always has a plan. Tell me what's next with the planning. What's our strategy?"

She wiped a tear from her cheek. "I need to walk around a bit, get my head back in the game."

"Pacing, good," he said. "Let's pace." He slung his bags over his shoulders, took her by the elbow, and steered her out through a short hallway onto the large concourse.

They joined the crowd as dozens of people passed them on their way through the Vancouver airport. Announcements about the weather and delayed flights added to the noise of the bustling travelers.

As they walked, Pete pointed farther up the concourse. "Hey, there's a pizza place." He looked at Myka's face. "No, you're not in the mood for pizza."

"I just want to walk," she said. People hurried past them, burdened with bags and pulling wheeled suitcases.

Myka caught a glimpse of a person in the crowd, and searched until she could see him more clearly. An elderly man in a motorized wheelchair drove alongside an airline employee, who pushed a cart of luggage.

_Wheelchair,_ she thought. _Something bothered me about his wheelchair._

Suddenly Myka stopped walking. One step behind, Pete bumped into her.

"I just want to walk," she repeated aloud.

"We were walking," Pete said, "but then you stopped."

Myka grabbed Pete's arm and pulled him toward the less-crowded side of the concourse. "I saw an elderly man ahead of us, driving a motorized wheelchair, and his chair reminded me of something. Young Walter Sykes, in his wheelchair. He was paralyzed in an accident, and he needed to use a wheelchair. Now Sykes wants to walk again. That's why he needs the Collodi Bracelet."

"Sykes wants to walk." Pete shook his head. "Where are you going with this?"

Myka searched along the walls of the concourse. She turned around and kept searching until she spotted the wheelchairs. "Over there. Come on." She walked to a collection of manual wheelchairs and motorized wheelchairs provided to passengers for use inside the airport.

She took one of the manual wheelchairs by the handles, turned the chair around, and pointed at the seat. "Get in. We're going for a drive."

Pete sat in the chair and set his messenger bag and his backpacks in his lap. Myka pushed him in the wheelchair and steered him back across the concourse toward their gate.

"You saw Young Walter Sykes," Myka said, "when you and your Mom used that artifact, and took that memory trip, back to when you were a kid, right?"

"Yeah," Pete said, over his shoulder, "we used the Bronze Baby Shoes Artifact to travel back in Mom's memories, and I saw what she saw. Mom worked with Mrs. Frederic on the case. They wanted to snag the Collodi Bracelet from Sykes."

"Good," she said. "I want you to describe everything you remember about Young Walter, with and without his wheelchair. For example, in the file photo."

Abruptly, she stopped pushing the wheelchair. "Oh, my case notes." She rubbed her forehead. "In the previous timeline, I studied the files, including the original artifact case, and made a hundred notes. I really wish I had all my notes."

Pete cleared his throat. "Hey, are you going to push me?"

"Sorry, big guy." She picked up one of his backpacks. "Drive yourself for a while." She moved to walk beside him.

Pete took hold of the wheels and rolled the chair forward.

"In the old file photo," Myka said, "Young Walter's wheelchair was manually operated. His wheelchair was like this one, with the large rear wheels on each side, right?"

Pete nodded as he pushed the wheels. "I guess the motorized wheelchairs weren't available yet in the early 1980s, at least not in his neighborhood. Or mine. I don't remember seeing any at my school, either. The kids who needed them had manual wheelchairs."

"So, based on the neighborhood where Sykes lived and on the appearance of his house, his family didn't look wealthy?"

"Middle class, I guess, or working class." Pete shrugged. "Nice but average, like my house. We lived in a typical Ohio working class neighborhood. I still don't see where you're going with this."

From the concourse, they entered the terminal and found an empty waiting room. Myka sat down and Pete parked his wheelchair across from her.

"We don't have the case file to read, so we'll review more of your memories," Myka said. "Close your eyes, and picture yourself in your front yard, when you were a kid."

Pete closed his eyes and nodded.

"You're a kid, living in your Ohio neighborhood. Young Walter was just a kid, too. After an accident, his legs were paralyzed. Since he couldn't walk, he had to use a manual wheelchair. But when he got the Collodi Bracelet, he suddenly regained his ability to walk."

Pete's eyes were still closed. "Myka?"

"Almost done," she said. "Back to you. Picture yourself. You're 12 years old, sitting in front of your house, in your average Ohio neighborhood. Now tell me, Pete." Myka studied the wheelchair. "How does a kid, like you, get his hands on an extremely powerful artifact? An artifact that belonged to a rather evil author from late-1800s Italy?"

Pete gripped the arms of the chair, opened his eyes, and stared at her in surprise. "Holy cow," he said. "I don't know, but holy cow."

"Your mom and Mrs. Frederic tried to save Young Walter because he was using a dangerous artifact. But where did the boy get the artifact in the first place?"

"Looks like the closed case of Young Walter Sykes needs to be reopened," Pete said. "Our current case, of Walter Sykes versus the Warehouse, may be even more connected to the old case than we realized."

"Describe more of your memory trip," she said. "What else did you see?"

"I saw my mom talking to Sykes at his house," Pete said. "That's how he met her. Wearing the bracelet, Sykes was standing in his front yard. He wore his baseball uniform and ball cap, with the team name, Aztecs. He had a baseball bat, a ball, and some sports equipment in the front yard."

"He wanted to be a baseball player when he grew up," Myka said. "What else?"

"I saw Artie and MacPherson," he said. "They were the field agents on the case. They came to Sykes's house, snagged the Collodi Bracelet, and sunk it in a canister of Purple Goo."

"Artie and MacPherson," she said._ So we've met both of the agents who worked on that case, and one of them we see almost every day. Plus Jane Lattimer and Mrs. Frederic. That's unusual. We personally know all four people who worked on that case. _She tried to remember more of the background information she'd read in the old files.

"I used to wonder," Pete said, "if Artie was born old. But when I saw him, back in the 1980s, he actually looked young." He grimaced slightly. "Poor Artie. I can't imagine being partners with MacPherson, though. MacPherson would give me non-stop bad vibes."

Myka's torrent of thoughts came to an abrupt halt. "Say that again."

"What? Artie looked really young?"

She nodded slowly. "Keep going."

"I would hate to be partners with MacPherson," he said. "You know, because he was so creepy, and he'd give me non-stop bad vibes."

"Bad vibes." Myka tilted her head and arched one eyebrow. _Wouldn't MacPherson give everyone bad vibes? And why did the old case need two agents, Mrs. Frederic, and a Regent?_

Mirroring her, Pete tilted his head. "Did we just figure something out?"

"I think maybe we did, partner."

"Cool. So, what did we figure out?"

"I think we found another piece of the puzzle." She frowned in thought. "But I'm not completely sure how the puzzle piece fits into the big picture. In the previous timeline, we were always more than two steps behind. So much about Sykes remains unknown to us. Even now, in this second timeline, we may not be seeing the whole picture."

"And the puzzle piece we found?"

"MacPherson," she said. "MacPherson and Artie worked together on the original case. That scenario bothers me, for some reason. Also, that old case, of a boy with an artifact, was strange and apparently difficult to bag and tag."

Myka opened her messenger bag, looking for some paper to write on, and dug around until she found an old receipt and her pen. She sighed in frustration. "I need paper, lots of paper, to make more notes. Also, I need Post-It Notes."

On the blank side of the receipt, she wrote two words. "Here's our puzzle piece." She held up the note to show Pete.

He read it aloud. "MACPHERSON = TROUBLE."

Pete raised both hands and pointed at her. "Right. We know he caused major trouble for Artie and Mrs. Frederic while he was still a Warehouse agent. On the memory trip, Mrs. Frederic asked my mom several times to come back to active duty as a Regent. So maybe MacPherson made the difficult case of Young Walter Sykes even worse?"

Hurriedly she wrote down a few more phrases on the small piece of paper.

"We need to review those old files and make sure we haven't missed anything," Myka said. "The last thing we need is another surprise."


	32. Ch 32

Mrs. Frederic walked quickly through Warehouse 13 carrying the long rolled-up map and her messenger bag.

_So many preparations to be made. But first, I must store the Pocketwatch Artifact in the Escher Vault, where it belongs._

As she made her way through the aisles with shelves full of artifacts, she thought again about Artie's grim report. _I assumed that Warehouse 13 would always survive. I was mistaken. _

She turned a corner and made her way up another aisle. _Artie took a terrible risk using the Pocketwatch._ She patted her suit jacket pocket to reassure herself of the artifact's presence. _To undo the destruction of Warehouse 13. To undo a terrible fate. _

She turned another corner and walked further through the enormous inventory. Since Artie's arrival with the Pocketwatch, her feeling of fear had not dissipated. Instead, the fear was accompanied by a sense of danger and, at least once, a sense of being watched. From her many years of experience, she noted that these feelings were not self-generated. As Caretaker, she recognized these were signals from Warehouse 13 itself. _The Warehouse seems to know, _she concluded, _about the imminent danger from Walter Sykes._

_Unless. _Suddenly she stopped at an intersection, looked over her shoulder, and searched the aisle behind her. _Unless something is already wrong inside Warehouse 13. _She shook her head, as if she could shake off the feeling, and walked quickly into the next aisle.

Another fearful question, entirely her own, bothered her. _What if Sykes succeeds again? _She touched the fabric of her jacket and felt the weight of the Pocketwatch. _Arthur did what he believed was necessary. He used the artifact to travel back in time, despite the dangers. _

Finally, she reached the area outside the Escher Vault. After a glance at the heavy shield door that guarded the Vault, she stood near the adjacent wall and propped the map up against it. From her necklace, she unlinked the slim pendant. The pendant was a key, its length folded in half. She unfolded the pendant, and inserted the key into the lock hidden in the wall. Turning the key opened a small safe on a secondary wall. From the safe, she took out the enhanced goggles that would allow her to see and safely navigate while inside the Escher Vault.

Standing at the Vault's control console, she input the solution to the puzzle-code using the dial and the small hand crank. The heavy door slid open, revealing the continuously moving interior of stairways and arches.

From her jacket, she took out Pocketwatch and looked at its face. _Warehouse policy directs me to lock up such powerful objects so they cannot endanger others. _She returned the watch to her pocket.

Mrs. Frederic stood at the entrance and shifted the messenger bag's strap over her head so that it crossed her chest. She put on the goggles, stepped into the Vault, and walked carefully across a shifting stairway.

_My role as Caretaker directs me to protect the Warehouse, using every means at my disposal. In previous crises, I have employed artifacts for our defense, as have other Caretakers in history. _She turned and stepped onto an adjacent stairway.

_What about our history? Is it possible the lifetime of Warehouse 13 is coming to an end? _She remembered Artie's shock at seeing her alive, and her alarmed response to his possession of the Pocketwatch Artifact.

His report detailing the loss of the Warehouse still astonished her. _Artie came so close to stopping Sykes. With so little time, H.G. Wells found a brilliant solution to protect the other agents. Now with more information, with more time, don't we have an excellent chance to save the Warehouse?_

Carefully, she stepped off the stairway onto the solid ground of the storage space. She took off her goggles and surveyed the rows of shelves. Walking further, she found the appropriate aisle and scanned the shelf until she saw the empty storage tray. She picked up the ID card and read the brief note about the Pocketwatch.

From her suit jacket, she retrieved the Pocketwatch. Holding it in her hand, she studied the old watch._ He was wise to carry it with him, prepared for the worst of possibilities. By using such a dangerous artifact, Arthur gave us this second chance. _

Mrs. Frederic stared at the Pocketwatch. _Even now, we assume we have enough time to save the Warehouse. I must make certain that time is indeed on our side. _She put the watch back into her pocket. She took the ID card and added it to her pocket. _If the previous crisis repeats itself, I must be prepared to use the Pocketwatch. _

She glanced around her at the other shelves in the Escher Vault. _We must prepare, not only for the possibility of Sykes's return, but for unexpected possibilities too. Last time, our defenses were insufficient, and our best weapons were not readily available to us. _She scanned the next shelf, and several more, searching for another artifact. _We have weapons for defending the Warehouse, one of which is stored in this Vault. _

She stepped into the next aisle and stopped suddenly as she remembered her last errand inside the Escher Vault. From the shelf in front of her, she picked up the small ID card from its empty tray.

"H.G. Wells, Locket With Photograph," she said. _We know that Miss Wells was able to access the Vault because MacPherson unlocked it for her. She entered the Vault, retrieved only her personal items, exited, and killed MacPherson. _

She looked at the ID card again and tucked it into her pocket with the watch. _MacPherson worked for his own ambitions, and his alone. He sent Miss Wells into the Vault to retrieve something, something he wanted, for his purposes. But she did not take anything else. _

_So then, what did MacPherson want from the Escher Vault? _She sighed in frustration. _Our work seems to produce an endless amount of questions._

She walked through the next aisle until she found the artifact she sought. The small ID card read, "Aegis of Athena." On a piece of plain white linen sat a wide jewelry collar of thin gold pieces, fashioned to look like snake scales. Set in the middle of the wide collar was a large locket.

Shifting her messenger bag slightly, she moved the flap and opened it. She reached back up to the shelf, folded the linen over the artifact, scooped up the bundle with both hands, and set it inside her bag. _This brief errand into the Escher Vault was necessary, after all. Instead of storing away one artifact, I have resorted to carrying several artifacts and likely using them. _She put on her goggles and made her way back across the shifting stairways of the Escher Vault.

She stepped through the doorway back onto the Warehouse floor, went to the control console, took off her goggles, and activated the mechanism to close the door. As the door slid shut with a thud, Mrs. Frederic studied the heavily shielded walls on the exterior of the Escher Vault. _I wonder if these walls survived the explosion, even partially. Warehouse 13 has several areas like this with heavy shielding. I must remember to ask Artie about the level of damage to some of our stronger interior structures._

Mrs. Frederic took a deep breath and walked back onto the main floor of Warehouse 13. _Soon I am due to meet Claudia in the Ovoid Quarantine._ She remembered Claudia's trips through the office with her pushcart, bringing in supplies from her car. Claudia also carried a curious number of bags. _Agent Donovan has collected supplies for the imminent conflict. I am collecting mine. _She shifted the messenger bag. _Let us hope that two Caretakers are sufficient to save the Warehouse this time._


	33. Ch 33

Alone in the airplane's main cabin, Helena heard the door open and was surprised to see the young man, Tyler, coming in.

Clutching his laptop, he looked around and stopped abruptly. "Oh, Mr. Sykes isn't back here."

Quickly, Helena grabbed the chess book and stood up from her seat. "Tyler, wait."

As she took a few steps toward him, he retreated. "I'm not supposed to talk to you," he said.

"Then just listen," she said. "Those files you are working on, you must stop. You must not decrypt them."

"What?" Tyler scowled at her. "Mr. Sykes ordered me to."

"You must not give Sykes what he wants," she said. "Stop your work. Tell him that you are unable to decrypt the files, that it's impossible."

"But it's not totally impossible," he said, backing another step closer to the door. "I already hacked into the Warehouse system, and I decrypted your file, too."

"That is exactly why you must stop," she said. "Sykes has too much information already. Those people he searches for, he's planning to kill them. Don't give Sykes any more information, please."

Defensively Tyler hugged his laptop and stared at the floor. "But I think Mr. Sykes might hurt me if I don't do what he says."

Helena's heart sank. _He does not realize Steve is dead. _She looked at the nervous young man. _Perhaps it is better he does not know. Sykes will kill us both, eventually. _She tried to keep her voice steady. "Sykes will threaten us no matter what we do. But we must not assist him in his dreadful plans to kill more people. Tyler, please."

Shaking his head, he turned toward the cabin door and reached for the handle.

Suddenly, the door opened from the other side. Sykes wheeled his chair into the cabin.

Tyler shifted on his feet and looked around helplessly.

Helena watched the young man and willed him not to panic.

As soon as Sykes saw Tyler standing next to the door, he stopped his wheelchair, picked up the DeMille Crop with both hands, and flexed the artifact slightly. The Crop glowed faintly with the appearance of an energy current.

Sykes studied Helena suspiciously. "Tyler, I thought you were working," he said.

"He came in here," she said quickly, "looking for you. I've been asking for his assistance with some supplies. I need pen and paper."

Sykes bent the DeMille Crop again and it shimmered brightly with its strange light.

Helena felt as if a mild electric current coursed through her body. Looking down, she saw her own hand shimmering with light. She felt her legs move as she was forced, by Sykes, to take four steps away from him, back toward her airplane seat.

Relieved when she felt the artifact's energy cease, she took a deep breath. "As I was saying, I need pen and paper, and I asked Tyler to locate them for me." She held up the chess book. "I want to take notes as I study Caturanga's book, to work out my thoughts. I simply must have paper."

Tyler glared at her. "I don't have any paper," he said loudly. "I haven't used paper since elementary school. Print is dead."

"You," Sykes pointed at Helena, "leave him alone."

She crossed her arms, holding her book over her heart. _Neanderthals. _

"Tyler," he said, "ask the pilot if he has paper. Any kind of paper, pens, and any books, too."

The young man mumbled an acknowledgement and hurried from the cabin.

Sykes looked at her questioningly.

"I believe that young man just insulted me," Helena said. "This current society, such as it is, is far too dependent on those electronic devices. Mark my words, paper and the printed word will outlive us all, by centuries."

"Forget centuries." Sykes pointed one end of the DeMille Crop at her. "Live in the moment, sit in your seat, and study your book."

Sykes waited for her to return to her seat and he left the cabin again.

She ran her hand over the book's cover and fumed silently. _I can see no solution to my current predicament. _She opened the book and stared at the page without focusing. _As long as Sykes wields that artifact, he has the upper hand against me in a confrontation._

She chose another page near the end of the book and looked out the airplane window. _ For the moment, Sykes has the upper hand against all of us, even though Myka and the others are half-way around the world. _

She frowned in thought. _Tyler is decrypting classified files from Warehouse 13. Sykes demands the information they contain. But what more could he want? Already he appears to know most of the Warehouse's secrets. _

She glanced back at the cabin door. _I must discover the subject of those files._

* * *

Mrs. Frederic hurried through Warehouse 13, steering a large inventory pushcart in front of her. The long, rolled-up map stood upright from the lower tray of the cart, between the handlebar, past the top tray. In the top tray sat a standard-sized silver canister of purple liquid Neutralizer.

Also on the pushcart sat an old wooden box that housed a phonograph. Next to the phonograph sat a metallic box resembling a briefcase. An ancestor of the static bag, the metallic box served to protect and transport artifacts.

As Mrs. Frederic made her way to the Ovoid Quarantine to meet Claudia, she considered again the feelings of fear and uneasiness, which she could not shake.

_This is odd. Why do I feel frightened again?_ After glancing down at her Tesla resting in the top of her pushcart, she scanned the inventory aisles as she walked. _ Why do I sense danger here, inside Warehouse 13? _

She reached up to touch the golden collar she now wore around her neck and upper chest. _Considering I have not identified any specific danger, I could not be better prepared. _She had put on the Aegis of Athena over her blouse, and put her suit jacket on, along with her scarf, over the jewelry collar. In the middle of the Aegis, below her collarbone, was its large locket.

_Unfortunately, my preparedness does not diminish the sense that I am being watched. _Intently, she searched her surroundings as she hurried through the aisles.

Mrs. Frederic arrived in the area outside the purple-hued fabric walls of the Ovoid Quarantine. She steered her pushcart toward the Quarantine's closed door.

Suddenly Mrs. Frederic stopped and looked over her shoulder. She thought she'd seen something moving. _Someone. _

_Someone is here, near the Quarantine. _But as her gaze darted around, she could find no one among the huge shelves. _Claudia? Perhaps Claudia was on her way into another aisle. _She sighed tiredly.

Behind her, Mrs. Frederic heard the Quarantine door opening. She turned to see Claudia emerging through the doorway, revealing the purplish light from the interior.

Mrs. Frederic's pulse pounded as she stared. _If Claudia was inside, then who was out here? _Anxiously, she looked around again, searching for the figure.

"Are you OK?" Claudia asked. "You looked as if you were expecting to see someone." Claudia glanced around and looked back at her. "Who were you expecting?"

Mrs. Frederic gripped the handlebar and moved the pushcart toward her. "Trouble."


	34. Ch 34

IN THE MAIN CONCOURSE OF THE VANCOUVER AIRPORT, Myka paced along a hallway wall and watched her Farnsworth videoscreen.

Leena spoke quietly. "Artie's working on something with Mrs. Lattimer, something classified. Hold on."

Myka saw her move through the office, enter a file room, and close the door.

_The Regents are still operating in secrecy, _she thought. _We don't have time for their secrets, any secrets. That rule must change. Change the rules._

"Mrs. Lattimer was in the office when I got here," Leena said, "supervising Artie while he worked on the main computer. She looked stern and Artie looked even grouchier than usual. I was instructed not to disturb them while they worked." She shrugged. "So how can I help you?"

Myka frowned. "I wanted Artie's permission to read some old files. I need more information, even though some of it is classified. I was hoping, under the circumstances, Artie would bend the rules and give me those files." She rubbed her forehead. "But it's a Regent's job, and Mrs. Frederic's job, to keep the secrets. It's Artie's job to follow the rules, not change the rules."

"You wanted Artie to pull up old files from the database?" Leena asked. "Wait. I hear more talking in the office." She glanced away. "I'm putting the Farnsworth down. I'll be right back."

Myka looked at the videoscreen, which showed a tabletop with stacks of paper. _I thought everything would be different this time. _She turned to check the nearest airport TV monitor. The long list of delayed flights filled the screen. _We thought we'd be early. I thought we'd have all the information we need to get ahead of Sykes. Now I wonder if my questions will ever be answered. _

In a few moments, Leena's face reappeared on the screen. "In case of an emergency," she said, "my security clearance gets bumped up to a higher level."

"Really?" Myka bit her fingernail and glanced up at the airport TV screen. "That's good to know, for future reference."

"Future? I meant today," Leena said. "I'm talking about my Warehouse access level."

_Warehouse access?_ Myka looked back at her Farnsworth. "Sorry, I'm not following you."

Leena arched one of her eyebrows. "Does Sykes plan to blow up the entire Warehouse?"

"Yes."

"And he plans to kill us all?"

Myka nodded.

"Then we are all preparing for a huge emergency," Leena said. "So tell me what you need. I will use my emergency-level security access, and I'll get you those files."

"Now I'm following you." Myka smiled with relief. "We're bending the rules. OK, I want the old case file for Young Walter Sykes. Also, the background file on the Collodi Bracelet itself." She retrieved the paper receipt with her notes written on the back. "Artie and MacPherson were the field agents who snagged the Bracelet. I want the information, which I'm expecting to be classified, from MacPherson's personnel file for that case. Actually, anything about him for that whole year." She frowned in thought. "I wish I could sit down and study MacPherson's entire personnel file."

"MacPherson's? Why?"

"His involvement, as an agent on Young Walter's case, really bothers me," Myka said. "We know from experience, MacPherson caused trouble wherever he went."

"Tons of trouble." Leena shivered. "He was creepy enough to hypnotize me by putting that Pearl of Wisdom Artifact in my ear. He made me his accomplice in stealing artifacts from Warehouse 13. Who knows what else MacPherson might have done if H.G. hadn't stopped him."

"I still wonder about MacPherson's extensive theft program, and what his plans were."

"Because of the Pearl's side-effects," Leena said, "I can't remember anything about the work I did for MacPherson. Artie said once, it might take years to figure out what's missing from the Warehouse."

"We know MacPherson sold some of the artifacts on the black market," Myka said. "That was more than two years ago. Today we're fighting Sykes and his large collection of artifacts, including the Artifact-Bomb." She stared at her note written on the back of the receipt: _MACPHERSON = TROUBLE. _"I think now we can make an educated guess about where Sykes got all those artifacts."

Leena gasped. "He could have been one of the buyers. He certainly has the money. Sykes probably bought the artifacts from MacPherson."

"I think MacPherson is our prime suspect," Myka said. "Sykes started his vendetta against the Regents more than a year ago, maybe earlier. The chronology seems to fit, but I want more information from MacPherson's file."

"I'll start at the end of his life," Leena said, "and the end of his file, and work backwards."

"Yes, please. Back to when he used the Phoenix Artifact to survive that big fire, and his subsequent imprisonment by the Regents." Myka heard the clicks of typing on the keyboard.

"I can access the Sykes and Collodi files first, because their security clearance is lower," Leena said.

Myka reached into her bag to retrieve her laptop.

"It's too quiet on your end of the Farnsworth," Leena said as she worked. "Where's Pete?"

"I sent him to buy me notebooks and Post-It Notes. I am in serious need of paper," Myka said. "Paper or no paper, Pete will return with food."

"OK, I found the file for Young Walter Sykes," Leena said. "His file has the yellow tag, of course."

"Yellow tag?" Myka asked.

"The yellow tag is for victims of unresolved artifact cases, or like Sykes, discontented victims of artifacts," Leena said. "The yellow tag goes on files as a caution signal, indicating the case could become problematic in the future."

"Exactly the kind of important information," Myka said, "that I would write down in a notebook."

"That's interesting," Leena said. "His file also has the genius tag. Looks like he's a math genius."

"Sykes made his fortune in the hedge fund market," Myka said. "But why is there a file tag for geniuses?"

"The genius tags come up fairly often, for personnel, and sometimes on cases," Leena said.

"So Claudia has a genius tag," Myka said. "Helena has a genius tag, probably several."

"You have the genius tag," Leena said.

"Me?" Myka stifled a laugh. "I'm not a genius. You and I both know, Claudia and Helena are the geniuses."

"In their areas of expertise, yes, they are geniuses," Leena said. "But you were chosen to be a Warehouse agent because you have some genius ability, too. For example, you seem to remember practically everything you see."

"That's why I was chosen to be an agent?" Myka asked. "What about Pete? His vibes seem more like intuition than intellect."

"Pete has the Alpha tag," Leena said. "Alpha is the description for people with unusual abilities. Pete gets vibes. Steve could tell when other people were lying."

"You," Myka said. "You can read people's auras."

Leena nodded. "Practically all Warehouse personnel come from one of the two groups, geniuses and Alphas. Apparently, the Warehouse 13 system is set up to find such people, like pings."

"Pings, like we get for Artifact Disturbances?"

"Warehouse 13 is on the lookout for unusual people, as well as unusual objects and events. People with genius or Alpha abilities ping the system." Leena frowned at her computer. "Unfortunately, Sykes turned out to be an evil genius."

"Wait, Sykes has the genius tag. Is the genius tag on the file for Young Walter?"

"Yes. Hold on," Leena said. "The genius tag is in the old case file, too. Young Walter's gift for math was apparent when the Collodi Bracelet case came up."

"Could his genius ping have happened before his Artifact Disturbance ping?"

"I guess it's possible. Why?"

"It's weird that he has the two kinds of tags, genius and discontented victim. I wonder if there's a connection between the two." Myka reread her notes written on the receipt. "I wonder what else was going on that made the artifact mission for Young Walter Sykes so problematic."

"MacPherson's personnel file. Classified. Here we go," Leena said. "His file has all kinds of tags, including the genius tag, and a yellow tag."

"Yellow for MacPherson, too?"

"Same category of cautionary note. Discontented former agent, unsatisfied with Warehouse policy."

"Unsatisfied with the Warehouse," Myka said. "MacPherson had attitudes in common with Sykes. They both had genius tags and yellow tags. Wonder if that means something."

"It's not unusual to have multiple tags," Leena said. "I remember updating the files after Claudia took Artie and they rescued Joshua. Both Claudia's and Joshua's files had yellow tags, because his case with the Rheticus Compass Artifact was unresolved for 12 years. And, of course, both Donovans have genius tags."

_Both Claudia and Joshua are geniuses,_ Myka thought. "How young were they when Warehouse 13 got their genius pings? I mean, did the genius pings happen before Joshua had the Compass?"

"I don't remember. I can try to look it up."

_Artifact victims and geniuses,_ Myka thought. _Discontented people who know about the Warehouse, or at least, the problem of dangerous artifacts. Is any of this information connected? If Warehouse 13 tracked these people, these situations, isn't that a connection?_

Leena's brow furrowed as she studied her computer. "That's weird. Joshua Donovan's name is still listed with secondary personnel, people who know about Warehouse 13, but don't actively work here. But the note says Joshua's file was reclassified to a higher security level. There's no cross-reference, either. I don't know where his file was moved to."

_More secrets?_ Myka thought. _I don't have time to puzzle over that. I'm still trying to find a solution to our current puzzle._

"OK," Leena said. "I sent the Sykes and Collodi files, plus a year's worth of data entries from MacPherson's personnel file."

"Thank you," Myka said, "for digging up all this information for me." She closed her laptop and put it into her bag.

"You're welcome," Leena said. "So where does this research lead us?"

"MacPherson is our prime suspect for selling artifacts to Sykes," Myka said. "He worked on the Collodi Bracelet case 30 years ago. But there's no way he forgot about the boy with paralysis, whose artifact abilities he helped take away. I'll bet he tracked down Walter Sykes and offered him a whole collection of dangerous artifacts."

"I'm not sure how the old files will help you and Pete," Leena said.

"This information is important, but I'm not sure how. Not yet," Myka said. "In the meantime, you have helped me enormously, by keeping me constructively busy for a while."

"I noticed you keep checking your watch," Leena said, "and pacing with your Farnsworth."

Myka nodded. "My personnel file needs tags for Impatient and Hates Being Stuck In Airports."

"Only temporarily stuck at the airport," Leena said.

"I feel like we're stuck in time. Pete and I are stuck in this airport. Helena is stuck on a plane with Walter Sykes." Myka stared up at the airport videoscreen and the depressing list of delayed flights. "I thought with time travel, we'd be able to act quickly, and race ahead of Sykes. Now I'm afraid we're falling behind."


	35. Ch 35

"Please check it again," Mrs. Frederic said.

Claudia frowned at her laptop. "Third check of the motion sensors network shows two people on the main floor of the Warehouse. Your path from the office to the Escher Vault to the Ovoid Quarantine is accounted for. My path from the office is accounted for. As far as the sensors can see, we're the only ones moving around in the Warehouse."

"You have worked on all the recent security upgrades," Mrs. Frederic said. "Theoretically, could someone walk around and not be detected?"

"The sensors don't cover every square foot of the main floor," Claudia said, "because the wonder is endless, practically. So yes, somebody could sneak around if he really wanted to, but it would be difficult."

"If someone were going to hide inside the Warehouse, how might this be accomplished?"

"There's the camouflage aspect," Claudia said. "Avoid being seen. Or there's the sensor aspect. Avoid being detected, or avoid the sensors, or get around the sensors somehow. But I don't think someone could hang around for too long without being detected."

"I agree that it's highly unlikely," Mrs. Frederic said. _But someone was following me. Someone else was there._

"For an episode of unusual activity," Claudia said, "wouldn't one of the artifacts be our prime suspect?"

"Of course, an artifact would be the most likely source," Mrs. Frederic said. "But no Artifact Disturbance alerts have been detected, have they?"

Claudia shook her head.

"I'm certain I saw a human-sized figure. I saw someone walking into an aisle of shelves." Mrs. Frederic adjusted her glasses. "Prior to that, I felt, or rather, I sensed someone was following me. I got the distinct feeling I was being watched."

"You mean, you got a bad vibe?" Claudia asked, wide-eyed. "Like Pete gets bad vibes?"

"Perhaps there is some similarity. My vibes, as you call them, are mainly in relation to the Warehouse and its safety, its well-being."

Claudia glanced around. "Do you still have that feeling, that we're being watched?"

Mrs. Frederic thought a moment, and felt slightly relieved at her own answer. "No, not since we left the main floor and came inside."

"So we're OK for now." Claudia looked up at the purple lights and the fabric ceiling. "Maybe we're covered, literally." She shrugged. "So what do you want me to do next? Run an inventory search on suspicious artifacts?"

Mrs. Frederic glanced at the boxes on her inventory pushcart. "No, we must concentrate on our imminent crisis. We know Walter Sykes intends to bring his Artifact-Bomb into Warehouse 13." She resisted the urge to touch the Pocketwatch Artifact she carried in her suit jacket. "We must finish our preparations. We cannot afford to run out of time."

* * *

Just off the main concourse of the Vancouver Airport, Myka sat with her laptop, reading the files. She noticed in her peripheral vision that Pete approached her.

He held out a plastic shopping bag. "Paper and Post-It Notes, as requested." Pete stood next to her.

"Thank you." Myka took the bag from him. "The paper will help me get organized."

"What would really help you," he said, "is for you to eat something."

Still reading her laptop screen, Myka shook her head. "No appetite. I'm too stressed."

Pete opened his pizza box and held it out to her, revealing one remaining slice. "Here, eat this piece. You need protein."

"That is a big slice of carbohydrates," she said.

"With yummy protein pieces on the top," he said. "Eat, please."

She picked up the pizza and ate while Pete put the box into the nearest trashcan.

He sat down next to her. "Artie couldn't reach you, so he called my phone to give us an update."

Myka nodded. "I was on the Farnsworth with Leena. She got us the files on Sykes and Collodi, and part of MacPherson's file, too."

"Eat the rest of your pizza," he said, "while I tell you the mostly good news."

Myka frowned slightly, closed her laptop, and ate the last few bites.

"The good news," Pete said, "is that we're booked on the first flight out of here to Hong Kong. But instead of our private plane, Artie had to put us onto a commercial flight." From his jacket, he retrieved the paper tickets. "We're good to go."

She held out her hand for the tickets. "Commercial?"

"Yeah," he said. "The private flight would have been great. More elbow room for me, more legroom for you. But at least Artie got us two seats in first class."

Myka studied the airline ticket and gasped. _Oh, no_. She reread the flight information. _Not again. _Tears came to her eyes.

"What?" Pete asked. "We'll be on our way, soon. Our plane will be the first in line to take off."

"Our flight," she said, as she pointed at the ticket, "is the same flight, and the same departure time, as before." She cleared her throat. "We'll catch up to Helena, and to Sykes, with no time to spare. We're repeating the events of the previous timeline."

* * *

_Blasted airplane, _Helena thought. She stood still against the wall, where she had positioned herself behind the cabin door. _If this were a train, I would be free by now and having tea._ Waiting in silence, she strained to hear any noise beyond the cabin.

Finally, she heard footsteps. _The pilot is busy. That leaves Tyler. _

The door swung open. Tyler entered the cabin and set his small armload of books into the seat nearest the door.

Right behind him, Helena shut the door, grabbed him by his right arm, and twisted it behind him, forcing him to stand still.

"Hey!"

"Shhh," Helena whispered urgently. "I'm trying to help you, but you must listen. When the airplane lands in Hong Kong, as soon as you get the chance, you must run away from Mr. Sykes."

"Let me go," he said.

"Not until you listen," she said. "This journey with Sykes will be dangerous, and probably fatal. Do you understand me? When we get to Hong Kong, you must run away."

"But Mr. Sykes is paying me to work for him," he said half-heartedly. "I'm not gonna run away before I get my big paycheck. That would be stupid."

_Foolish boy who cannot see his employer will most likely be his murderer._

Tyler tried to pull away, but she held him firmly by his arm.

"I would rather die than work for Sykes," she said. "Those people he wants to kill? I will do whatever I can to protect them."

"That's not my problem," he said. "Let me go."

"All I want from you are the names of those files. How are they identified, or labeled?" She tugged slightly on his bent arm. "Tell me, quickly, what's in those files?"

Tyler squirmed with discomfort. "Somebody's file with a codename like yours."

"How is it like mine?"

"A mythology name. Yours was Atlas-66. This person's file is labeled Odysseus-74."

Helena frowned in thought. "And the name of the other file?"

"Background information, about another antique Mr. Sykes wants for his collection."

"An artifact?"

"Some really old compass he wanted to buy from his antique dealer."

_Collecting artifacts? Buying them from a dealer?_ she thought. "What was the dealer's name?"

"An old man Mr. Sykes knew, from way back. MacPherson."

_MacPherson._ A feeling of dread came over her. _When MacPherson stole those artifacts, and stole me, from Warehouse 13, he sold the artifacts to Walter Sykes. _

Helena let go of Tyler's arm and stepped away from him._ But that was more than two years ago. Sykes is still collecting artifacts on his own. Something in Hong Kong must be next on his list of acquisitions. Or someone._

Tyler rubbed his upper arm and turned around to glare at her.

Suddenly the cabin door flew open.

Helena saw Tyler's limbs light up with the artifact energy from the DeMille Crop.

Tyler's fist swung toward her body and punched Helena in the stomach. The hard blow knocked her to the floor and left her gasping for air.

"No," Tyler shouted. "Mr. Sykes, stop."

Helena looked up to see Tyler's glowing arm raised to strike again.

She heard Sykes's voice behind them, through the open cabin door. "I warned you," he said. "Leave Tyler alone. You need to get back to work on your chess skills."

Still glowing with the artifact's energy, Tyler walked out of the cabin, closing the door behind him.

Helena lay in the floor, trying to catch her breath. Struggling against the dizziness and pain, grim memories came to mind of the swift murder of Steve, and of his lifeless body. _Like that young man, I am expendable to Walter Sykes. _

She tried to take a deep breath. _After this mysterious errand to Hong Kong is completed, I will be dead._


	36. Ch 36

IN THE PURPLE LIGHT OF THE OVOID QUARANTINE, Mrs. Frederic and Claudia stared at the young agent's Farnsworth, and listened to the troubling report from Agent Myka Bering.

"This airline flight is the same one Pete and I took before," Myka said. "When we land in Hong Kong, we'll be landing right in same moment on the previous timeline."

"Artie set the Pocketwatch," Claudia said, "so we could time-travel back far enough to change everything. But instead, we've arrived in the middle of the war zone. So we're doomed to relive this timeline."

"No," Myka said. "We cannot lose again."

Claudia looked worriedly at Mrs. Frederic. "You can't die again, and I really don't want to watch you die and decompose like that, either. It was gross." She winced. "No offense."

"None taken," Mrs. Frederic said. "Although we are in the war zone, we haven't lost the war, not yet. And we are not doomed to repeat the past. You have changed this timeline already, by using the Pocketwatch Artifact." She studied Claudia's jet-black hair and her long black coat. _The future of Warehouse 13 may have been altered significantly, _she thought.

"We have to change as many events as possible," Myka said.

Claudia walked over to the wall where she had opened the powerbox, and held up the Farnsworth. "I looked at the access panel. Based on what you and Artie described, I can guess how H.G. modified the protective Barrier. She rerouted only a small amount of the energy field, just enough to make that bubble-space for you to stand in."

"Why couldn't we move the Barrier to contain the bomb?" Myka asked.

"The Barrier acts as a shield for the exterior of Warehouse 13," Mrs. Frederic said. "The energy field could not be so radically reduced in size to contain only the Artifact-Bomb. The Barrier itself cannot be moved, or rerouted, from its primary function."

"I agree. Sorry, Myka." Claudia pointed at her laptop. "From the tech specs on file, the energy field even runs underneath the Warehouse. I'm guessing that's how H.G. made the bubble. She found an anomaly in this part of the Barrier, and moved it just enough to cover you."

Myka nodded. "OK, so if we end up in that scenario, couldn't we put the Barrier bubble over the Artifact-Bomb?"

"No," Claudia said. "If it were under the bubble, the bomb would sit under, and outside, the Barrier. That would be like moving the bomb outside the Warehouse."

"Oh, right," Myka said. "Then the explosion destroys South Dakota and sets off the Yellowstone Caldera sooner rather than later."

"Looks that way," Claudia said. "Sorry."

Mrs. Frederic frowned. "The protective Barrier must do its job, without modification or interference from us. We will need that containment field to encompass the Warehouse, just as before."

"Do you think the bomb will explode again?" Claudia handed the Farnsworth to her. "I mean, do you think we'll run out of time?"

Mrs. Frederic spoke into the Farnsworth, but watched as Claudia fidgeted nervously with her ring. "We know Sykes intends to bring his device here. He's worked a long time, and gone to great lengths to destroy us. We must prepare as if the explosion was imminent."

"Did you see our diagram of the Artifact-Bomb?" Myka asked.

"Yes." Mrs. Frederic retrieved the piece of paper. "Tell me about the transparent box which held the bomb components."

"Artie dunked the whole thing in Purple Goo," Myka said. "But the Goo had no effect."

Mrs. Frederic watched as Claudia put on a purple glove, stepped over to the inventory pushcart, and opened the canister of Neutralizer. She dipped one finger in and studied the thick Purple Goo.

"Artie tried using one of the drills," Myka said, "but he couldn't open the box, or break into it. Pete even tried using the blowtorch, but the box was indestructible."

Mrs. Frederic frowned in thought. _Indestructible, transparent material? _

"We wondered if the container itself could be an artifact, too," Myka said.

"Based on your description," Mrs. Frederic said, "that is quite likely." She mentally reviewed the Warehouse inventory categories of practically indestructible materials.

"In the previous timeline, everything went wrong," Myka said. "We couldn't open the container, and we couldn't neutralize the artifact. We couldn't stop the Artifact-Bomb from exploding before we ran out of time. We spent a long time just moving it to the Ovoid Quarantine."

Mrs. Frederic paused her inventory review and looked at purple lights overhead. "Arthur hoped the neutralizing effect in the Quarantine might weaken the explosion."

"Didn't work at all." Claudia poked her gloved fingers into the Purple Goo again, lost in thought. "Not enough neutralizing power."

Mrs. Frederic retrieved the large map of Warehouse 13 and spread it out on the worktable. "We will find an alternative to the Ovoid Quarantine."

Myka rubbed her forehead. "Someplace closer to the Portal. We won't have time to run around the Warehouse carrying a ticking time-bomb." She looked away from the Farnsworth screen. "Hold on." Myka leaned in close to the videoscreen. "I'll be right back."

Mrs. Frederic set the open Farnsworth down on the table and adjusted her glasses to continue studying the map.

"We need a work space set up so we're ready to neutralize the bomb." Claudia stared into the Neutralizer canister. "Too bad the Purple Goo had no effect. The explosion wasn't truly nuclear or radioactive, but the blast was so artifacty that it incinerated most of the Warehouse anyway. Maybe there's just not enough Purple Power to neutralize an artifact that evil."

"Hmm," Mrs. Frederic said. "There's an interesting question behind your statement. Would greater amounts of Neutralizer have a greater effect? As you pointed out, the blast was artifacty. Perhaps we can neutralize some of the blast's effects, and reduce its power."

"The blast spread through the entire Warehouse," Claudia said. "Wouldn't that require a ton of Purple Goo?"

"Gallons. But yes, an enormous amount of Goo, and an enormous delivery system." Mrs. Frederic pointed on the map. "The Warehouse has an extensive drainage system, in case any of the water-related artifacts flooded the building. The two main drainage ducts run north-to-south and east-to-west. Currently, the ducts are covered by flooring. But if we uncovered the ducts and closed off their drains, the main ducts could be converted into aqueducts."

"As in, canals, filled with water?" Claudia asked.

"Filled with Neutralizer, yes," she said. "I think we should flood the main ducts with Purple Goo."

"Canals of Purple Goo." Claudia almost smiled. "Cool."

"Indeed. The enormous amount of Neutralizer flowing openly throughout Warehouse 13 should effectively absorb some of the artifact blast."

"Is there enough Purple Goo to fill the main aqueducts?"

"We have a large reservoir of Neutralizer," Mrs. Frederic said, "and we can speed up production in the Neutralizer Processing Center."

"Reservoir?" Claudia asked. "I would have noticed a pond of Purple Goo. Where do we keep it?"

Mrs. Frederic pointed at the map. "Here, underneath the flooring, in the Jules Verne Sector. It's the size of a small lake."

Claudia put the lid on the Neutralizer canister and stood next to the worktable. "On this map, it's labeled, 'Old Aquarium.'" She frowned in thought. "Warehouse 13 had a huge aquarium?"

"We needed someplace to keep an aquatic creature," Mrs. Frederic said. "Temporarily, as it turned out."

"A huge aquatic creature that lives in a lake," Claudia said. "No way. You mean the Loch Ness Monster?"

"Unfortunately, she did not do well in our man-made lake," Mrs. Frederic said. "We had to take her back to Scotland."

"Whoa," Claudia said.

Mrs. Frederic studied the map and considered the various vaults and other structures within Warehouse 13. In her peripheral vision, she noticed Claudia retrieve her mobile phone and take photos of the map.

Myka's voice called from the open Farnsworth. "OK, I'm back."

Claudia picked up the Farnsworth. "Hey, where's Pete?"

"Still on his phone," Myka said. "His mother called him."

"I'm surprised Jane can spare the time," Claudia said bitterly. "She's busy with her Regent plan to interfere with our plans."

Mrs. Frederic cleared her throat.

"I'll explain later," Claudia said quickly. She turned the Farnsworth screen toward Mrs. Frederic.

Mrs. Frederic placed one finger on the map where the Portal opened from the Regent Sanctum. "Arthur had the right idea, trying to contain the blast. We need another type of barrier, within the Warehouse Barrier."

She chose another spot on the map and pointed with her other hand. "Warehouse 13 has its own nuclear defense bunker, built during the 1950s. The Cold War Bunker has heavily shielded walls, strong enough to protect personnel from an exterior blast. I think the protection principle might work in reverse."

"Use the Bunker as the containment barrier," Myka said, "to minimize an explosion."

"That is my working theory." Mrs. Frederic took the Farnsworth. "Just as important, the Cold War Bunker is relatively near the Portal."

"Good," Myka said, "that should save us valuable time."

Claudia fidgeted with her ring. "Speaking of time, which may be running out, after all," she said, "why aren't we planning to use the Pocketwatch Artifact again?"

With a twinge of fear, Mrs. Frederic remembered the powerful object she carried in her jacket pocket. "I told you," she said grimly, "the time-travel trip is too dangerous."

"But if we need more time," Claudia said, "we've got the Pocketwatch as a backup plan. If it's a choice between disaster and another trip, I would choose time travel again."

_The Pocketwatch is my last resort, not Claudia's,_ Mrs. Frederic thought. "I will not allow you to use the artifact again," she said. "Not ever."

"Why?" Claudia glared at her. "Because I'm doomed to be the Warehouse Caretaker in the future? Or now, because you don't trust me, the inexperienced kid?"

Mrs. Frederic stared over her glasses and waited silently. _Why is Claudia so anxious to risk another time-travel trip?_

"This argument is a waste of time," Claudia said. "I've got work to do."

Mrs. Frederic watched the furious young woman walk across the Ovoid Quarantine and out the door.

From the Farnsworth, Myka asked, "I want to protect Claudia, too. But what about me? Could I use the Pocketwatch again? With Pete and Artie?"

Mrs. Frederic shook her head. "Your trip did not even arrive at the time you chose. The Pocketwatch brought the three of you here, to this relatively late date, for a reason."

"You make it sound like the artifact has a mind of its own." Myka frowned. "Why do you look frightened?"

"The Pocketwatch is not like other artifacts that were imbued in the past with some unusual power." Mrs. Frederic sighed in frustration. "The Pocketwatch is from the future."

"Did you say, the future?" Myka asked.

A noise outside the Quarantine caught Mrs. Frederic's attention. She turned to look at the door, expecting it to open. _I thought I heard voices. _

She closed the Farnsworth. From the inventory pushcart, she grabbed her Tesla and hurried toward the door.

Stepping outside the Ovoid Quarantine onto the main floor of Warehouse 13, Mrs. Frederic stopped suddenly. She saw Claudia pointing her Tesla at the taller, non-solid figure of a man.

"I found our intruder," Claudia said angrily. "We have a ghost."

"I must disagree with her assessment," the male figure said in a British accent. "I found Miss Donovan. And there's no such thing as ghosts."

Mrs. Frederic adjusted her glasses. "James MacPherson," she said. "You are always an unpleasant surprise."


	37. Ch 37

ALONE IN THE AIRPLANE CABIN, Helena sat curled up, hugging her stomach, leaning her head and shoulder against the seat. The chair faced away from the cabin door, briefly shielding her from the inevitable return of Walter Sykes.

She breathed normally now. Her anger had subsided. Helena was left with the conclusion she would die at the hands of her captor. _Another pawn in his terrible game. _She glanced at the chessboard near her seat. _To Sykes, I am expendable. To the Warehouse, I am ever the cause of more trouble._

She reached into the adjacent seat and picked up Caturanga's chess book. _I had a brilliant career at Warehouse 12, and I cast it aside like rubbish. I had a wonderful mentor and a stalwart partner. They struggled to save me from my own obsession, but I turned my back on them. _

She glanced out the window of the airplane, a remarkable machine she vaguely understood in principle. _Out of the Bronzer, into a new century. Only to bring trouble upon the Warehouse that gave me a second chance, a life of purpose. The Regents made me an agent once more. I repaid them with treachery. I would have destroyed a continent full of people if Myka had not intervened._

Helena remembered Myka's expression of pain and anger, arguing with her over the Minoan Trident. _A brilliant agent herself, Myka offered me genuine friendship and partnership. I repaid her kindness, her trust, with deception and betrayal. _

The weight of her regrets pulled her deeper into despair. _For my treachery, I should have been Bronzed again. _By comparison, her confinement to the Janus Coin seemed like a respite. Being allowed to talk with Myka had been a surprise. Being allowed to work with Myka on a mission had been a great gift. By the time they had successfully retrieved Joshua's Trumpet, Helena's impossible obsession had faded from view, and she saw clearly the reality of the second chance she'd been granted. _Far too late._

The last two times she saw Myka's face, her expression had been pained and the news grim. Standing in the Regent storage room, learning that "Emily Lake," her physical body, had been kidnapped by an enemy of the Warehouse. Standing in the woods, urging Myka to destroy the Janus Coin. _She refused to see the necessity of trading my life for the safety of Warehouse 13. The longer I live, the more trouble I bring upon the Warehouse, upon the people I should be protecting. Why was Myka unable to see?_

Helena shifted in her seat to stare out the window. _Now that I wish so desperately to protect Myka and Claudia, and the others, now that I would do anything to make amends, I am trapped and powerless. Traveling halfway around the world, away from the one place I might have called home. If only I had not been so foolish. So blinded by my obsession._

The sound of the cabin door opening startled her and she peeked between the seats.

Tyler brought in a tray of small containers, set the tray in a nearby seat, and exited, leaving the door open.

Sykes rolled his wheelchair into the room. "Eat your food," he said loudly.

She stood up and glared at him in silence.

"Here's your paper." Sykes pointed at the pile of material in the other seat. "Make your notes. I expect your genius, and your chess skills, to be in top form. You have an important mission coming up."

Waiting until he left, she approached the seats that held her supplies. On the tray were two bowls, along with other small containers and packages. In two trips, she carried the tray and the paper materials to her short row of seats near the back of the cabin.

After she was settled, she picked up one of the small, colorful packages and read the label. "Protein bar." She grimaced and set the package back on the tray. "Sounds unappetizing." She reached for one of the small bowls and realized it was warm. Examining its cover, she located the tab, peeled off the loosened cover, and found chicken noodle soup.

She took a sip from the bowl. _Warm broth, at least. _For a moment, she considered not eating. She had no appetite, anyway. _What's the point? _

Helena took another sip and scolded herself. _Food is fuel. I need fuel to keep going. _She thought of Tyler's hand, raised to strike her again. _I need all the strength I can muster. I must be ready for any opportunity to fight Sykes. _She finished her soup and set the bowl back on the tray.

From the paper materials, she chose a small book, which lacked proper binding, and read the cover. "The New York Times Bestseller. More than four million copies in print. Michael Crichton. Jurassic Park." She looked at the small illustration of a dinosaur skeleton and arched one eyebrow. "Paleontology is certainly popular these days."

Among the materials, she spotted a thin bound book with a black cover and picked it up. "Pilot Master Log." She opened it and found empty pages with lines and columns. "A logbook. Plenty of paper." She picked up the transparent plastic bag, which held some pens and other items, and pulled at its plastic seam until it opened. She chose a pen, and retrieved several rubber bands, which she put around her wrist.

She picked up a larger hardbound book. As she turned it over to read the cover, tears sprang to her eyes. _The Complete Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Arthur Conan Doyle. A facsimile edition with original illustrations by Sidney Paget. _

"My dear Mr. Doyle," she said quietly. "How kind of you to pay me a visit at this late hour." She wiped a tear from her eye. "You have arrived in the last chapter of my current adventure. The game is afoot." She glanced toward the closed door. _The antagonist is a resourceful madman, and the heroine, a woman of rather dubious distinction, is likely to meet a bad end. _

_The case of Walter Sykes is most puzzling. I fear that time will run out before I find the solution. _She set Doyle's book back into the seat. _Like your Mr. Watson, I shall endeavor to leave a full account of the case._ She picked up the logbook and turned to the back. On the next to last page, she began to write a brief report of her release from the Janus Coin.

Helena remembered the shock of realization that she was alive, that she faced her captor, Walter Sykes, and that Pete's plan to destroy the Coin had failed. She sighed tiredly. _As an eyewitness, I must give an account of Steve's murder, and of his heroism, for the Warehouse records. Claudia ought to know that his sacrifice secured her safety and probably her life. _Quickly and concisely, she wrote her report.

In her mind's eye, Helena could still see the young man's lifeless body._ I will likely die under similar circumstances. _She reflexively clutched her locket._ No doubt this is my last opportunity to conclude my personal business. _She turned to the next blank page in the back of the logbook and wrote the title at the top.

_The Last Will and Testament of Helena Wells. _She took a deep breath and continued writing.

_In the event of my death, or of my being Bronzed,_

_I, Helena Wells, formerly an agent of Warehouse 12, London, England, being of mostly sound mind and recently reincorporated body, hereby declare this to be my Last Will and Testament._

She appointed Myka as executrix of her estate. Her assets, separate from the Wells family estate, included a huge sum of money held in a Swiss bank account. Claudia had described it with the odd word, "gazillion." Helena wrote down the relevant account number and information, noting that Claudia could access the fortune by whatever means necessary.

She left Myka general instructions for the use of her assets. First, to provide a university education for Claudia and any other advanced degrees beyond that. She wished for the bulk of the money to fund Claudia's future scientific research, including the development and manufacture of inventions and machinery. The particulars she left to Myka's direction and good judgment.

Helena frowned in thought for a moment, remembering her brief employment at Warehouse 13. She added another instruction, asking Myka to assign a generous amount of money to Leena's supervision, for the improvement and significant expansion of indoor plumbing at the Bed and Breakfast.

Conscious of her captor's return, Helena turned the logbook to the front page to write the chess notes she had claimed were necessary. Later, from the plastic bag, she retrieved a pencil to write notations in the margins of Caturanga's book.

She was still writing about chess when Walter Sykes returned to the cabin.

The large flat videoscreen on the wall was turned on. Sykes held a small device the size of his hand, and pressed a sequence of buttons. On the screen, a garishly-colored program appeared, featuring an agitated man surrounded by streams and columns of numbers.

"Time for news about the Stock Exchange," Sykes said. He parked his wheelchair well away from her. As he watched his program, he retrieved his baseball bat and cradled it in his arms.

She continued writing notes about chess and her memories of Caturanga's tutoring.

Tyler walked into the room carrying his laptop. "You were right, Mr. Sykes. I found Bering and Lattimer's names on the passenger list for a flight to Hong Kong. They're following us."

"Of course they're following us," Sykes said. "I've got their most valuable agent."

_I'm not an agent,_ Helena thought sadly. _Merely bait for whatever trap Sykes has set. _She glared at him. "I told you, I worked for Warehouse 12, in the 1890s. I know comparatively little about the current Warehouse."

"You're still H.G. Wells," Sykes said, "and I think you know more than you're telling. I'm betting that you are the key to answering an important question."

Tyler handed Sykes the open laptop. "Here's their flight information."

Sykes looked at the screen briefly, and handed it back. "Agent Bering and Agent Lattimer will arrive just in time to help me." He smirked. "Good. We could use some extra hands."

Helena watched as the unnatural pools of black coloring filled Sykes's eyes. Anxiously, she looked at the DeMille Crop which lay across his lap, otherwise untouched. _What artifact produces this strange effect? _She shivered. _If the eyes are the windows to the soul, perhaps Sykes carries this darkness with him._

Sykes ignored her and fixed his attention on the videoscreen.

In the logbook, Helena turned the pages, and on the inside front cover, she wrote a brief note.

_IF LOST_

_Please mail this logbook to Myka Bering, resident of Leena's Bed and Breakfast, Univille, South Dakota, United States._

Helena reread the note, underlined Myka's name, and closed the book. _ If lost. _She glanced at the chessboard and closed her eyes. _I am a lost cause, in more ways than one. _She clutched her locket. _I'm sorry, Myka. I fear you will regret your journey to Hong Kong. I fear that all may be lost._


	38. Ch 38

In the main office of Warehouse 13, Mrs. Frederic stood unnoticed in the far corner. She waited and watched as Artie sat at his computer, rechecking the security systems and complaining about MacPherson's ghostly return.

Claudia and Leena surrounded him with anxious discussion. The women's voices grew louder until finally, Artie shouted, "How many times do I have to tell you? There's no such thing as ghosts."

The women lapsed into angry silence.

Mrs. Frederic chose that moment to speak sternly. "Arthur!"

Artie flinched in surprise, and with Leena and Claudia, turned to stare at Mrs. Frederic.

She walked slowly toward them and lowered her chin to peer over the frames of her glasses. "What is James MacPherson doing in our Warehouse?"

He held up his hands and shrugged. "After MacPherson died, he hung around."

"I remember," Claudia said. "MacPherson, in his non-solid form, or however we're supposed to describe him, harassed Artie."

"Yes," Mrs. Frederic said, focusing on Artie, "but I thought you neutralized his ghost."

He scowled. "We tried."

"We thought it was artifact-related," Leena said. "Artie found Rasputin's Prayer Rope near where MacPherson died."

"Rasputin's artifact can project the image of a dead person," Artie said. "I thought it accounted for MacPherson's appearance."

Leena crossed her arms. "Claudia and I helped neutralize the artifact. We assumed that was the end of him."

"After the heavy-duty Neutralizer," Claudia said, "MacPherson was gone, right?"

As the three women glared at him, Artie sighed. "Obviously, the neutralization was not successful. Maybe Rasputin's Prayer Rope wasn't the relevant artifact at all. I don't know. But MacPherson showed up again. He followed me for a bit longer."

"How much longer?" Claudia asked.

"Long enough for me to go to the Dead Agent Archive," Artie said, "open up MacPherson's old room, and find the Pocketwatch Artifact in his desk."

"Ghost MacPherson gave you the Pocketwatch." Claudia frowned in thought. "That's problematic, in several ways."

"Then where did he go?" Leena asked.

"He disappeared," Artie said. "Went away. I thought he was gone."

"Somehow," Mrs. Frederic said, "MacPherson is still here. In any form, he will cause trouble for us."

"Maybe he can't leave," Leena said. "Maybe his spirit is lingering here because he has unresolved issues."

Artie crossed his arms and slouched even further in his chair.

"Perhaps. If he were stuck here," Mrs. Frederic asked, "why hasn't Leena sensed his presence before today? Why haven't I sensed him?" She frowned at the office windows that overlooked the Warehouse floor. _Where is MacPherson now? _

Leena nodded. "Why hasn't he been following Artie around all this time, and harassing him?"

Artie glanced around the office. "Please, don't give him any ideas."

"Maybe MacPherson couldn't follow Artie around, at least, not freely," Claudia said. "Say Leena's theory is right, that he can't leave Warehouse 13. But what if it's not a spiritual problem? What if he's stuck here for some physical reason?"

"So he's a ghost, but he can't walk through walls?" Leena asked.

"Not every wall, apparently," Claudia said. "Mrs. Frederic sensed someone following her near the Ovoid Quarantine."

"Yes," Mrs. Frederic said. "But I didn't sense him, or see him, while we were inside."

"MacPherson waited for us to come back out of the Quarantine," Claudia said. "What if his movement around the Warehouse is limited somehow?"

"How is MacPherson alive at all? Not alive, alive." Artie sighed in frustration. "What is he doing here?"

"I suspect this involves the Phoenix Artifact," Mrs. Frederic said.

Artie gaped at her in astonishment. "The Phoenix. The power to rise from the ashes, from death back to life." He rubbed his forehead. "But MacPherson wasn't carrying the artifact. Not the last time he died. Could the Phoenix still have an effect, after all that time?"

"I do not know," Mrs. Frederic said, "but we cannot rule it out, either. The Phoenix is a very powerful artifact. I must do more research. Then we must find a way to rid ourselves of James MacPherson, once and for all." She glanced at the office windows again. "But today we are preparing to fight off an invasion. So how do we keep him from interfering with our work?"

"Even if MacPherson's current form is the result of an artifact," Leena said, "could we neutralize his ghost? Directly, I mean. Do we have any kind of Ghost Repellent?"

Claudia darted into an adjacent storage room and returned carrying what looked like two railway signal lamps. "If the Ovoid Quarantine kept him out," she said, "maybe it's because of the Neutralizer lights." The metallic containers had a handle on top and a large headlight on one side.

"We can push him back, temporarily, at least," Artie said. "We'll set up Neutralizer lights here in the office. We can carry the lamps with us in the Warehouse."

"I hope that will keep him out of our way," Mrs. Frederic said. "We do not have time for MacPherson's games."

Claudia set the lamps on a table and Leena followed her back into the storage room for more equipment.

Mrs. Frederic watched them leave. She stood near Artie and spoke quietly. "This reappearance of James MacPherson, did this happen in the previous timeline?"

Artie shook his head.

"As I feared," she said, "this new timeline may prove to be just as complicated, and dangerous, as the previous one."

Another office door opened, and from an adjacent file room, Regent Jane Lattimer returned to the main office. Jane closed the Farnsworth she carried. "Irene, I was just about to call you. Mr. Kosan will be arriving shortly. Then we can get started on our plan to stop Sykes."

While Mrs. Frederic stood next to him, Artie muttered, "This last-minute plan of hers didn't happen in the previous timeline, either."

Mrs. Frederic noted his worried expression, but did not speak. _The hours we have left to prepare our defenses are vital, _she thought. _I will not squander that time chasing ghosts and private planes._

Claudia and Leena returned from the storage room carrying boxes with lamps of various sizes. They slowed down when they saw Jane standing near the exit door to the Umbilicus.

"Agent Donovan," Jane said, "we'll need your technical expertise in a moment." She opened the exit door. "Mr. Kosan is on his way inside. We'll explain the next step in our plan." She left through the Umbilicus.

Near Artie and his computer, Claudia set the box of Neutralizer lamps on the end of his desk. "We're kinda busy here, Jane," she said quietly, "saving Warehouse 13 from total destruction."

Mrs. Frederic studied Claudia, who clenched her jaw and fidgeted with her ring. _Her jet-black hair and longish black coat, _she thought, _match her darkened mood. More signs that this timeline is not going well._

Jane Lattimer reentered the office with Adwin Kosan, head of the Regents, following behind her. "As I was telling Mr. Kosan, Agent Nielsen has located Walter Sykes's private plane."

Mr. Kosan nodded in acknowledgement to Mrs. Frederic and Artie.

Artie shifted nervously in his office chair. "Sir, yes, we're tracking his flight to Hong Kong. Agents Bering and Lattimer are several hours behind him. When their flight lands, they will arrive at the same point as in the previous timeline. Unfortunately, that means Sykes will still get to the ancient Regent Sanctum before them. We know he will direct H.G. Wells to open the chess lock and the Portal to Warehouse 13."

"Not necessarily," Jane said. "I hope we can deter Sykes before he reaches the Sanctum."

Mrs. Frederic struggled to mask her skepticism. "How could we possibly deter a man who is both obsessed and seemingly possessed by an artifact?"

"By giving him the one thing he can't live without," Jane said. "I think we can stop him from breaking into the Warehouse if we give Walter Sykes the Collodi Bracelet."

Artie, Leena, and Claudia stared at her in shocked silence.

Mrs. Frederic clasped her hands in front of her to steady herself. "As a Regent," she said slowly, "you, Jane, are well aware of the rules. It is forbidden to give an artifact to someone, knowingly to put a person in danger. The few instances when an artifact was given back to a victim, or given to an antagonist, predictably ended in failure. No such attempt has been made in more than 60 years."

Mr. Kosan nodded grimly. "The Regents will make an exception in this case."

"We have to try," Jane said. "Sykes does seem possessed, as you said, Irene. But if I can meet with him, maybe I can find a way to reach Walter, the part of him that hasn't been overtaken yet by darkness. He's still a victim, endangered for 30 years by an artifact's effects. We must try to rescue him, too."

Artie jumped up from his chair and shouted, "I can't believe what I'm hearing. You want to give Sykes the Collodi Bracelet? Give a dangerous artifact to the murderer who plans to kill your son, to kill all of us?"

Mrs. Frederic stood next to Artie, in case she needed to restrain him.

"You're just going to hand it over," he said, "and then what? Sykes can just run away." Artie pointed at her. "No, first, he'll kill you, and anyone else with you."

"No," Jane said, "I'm not going to hand over the artifact, without conditions. I want to offer him the Collodi Bracelet because it's the only leverage we have against him. He wants it back so desperately, he might be persuaded to make an exchange to get it."

Mrs. Frederic could not hide her surprise. "What exchange?"

"With Mr. Kosan's permission," Jane said, "I want to give Collodi's Bracelet in exchange for the safe return of H.G. Wells."

Mrs. Frederic clasped her hands more tightly. _Another plan with great risks, using another dangerous artifact. This trend is most disturbing._

"Sykes will never agree to that," Artie said. "He wants to kill us, not let some of us go free."

"We must try," Jane said. "We're ready for the next step in our plan." She turned toward Claudia. "Agent Donovan, I'll need you to break into the communications system on his private plane."

Claudia arched one of her eyebrows. "You want to call Sykes?"

"Yes," Jane said, "I want to talk to him, to try and change his mind, before he lands in Hong Kong." She paused briefly to say a few quiet words to Mr. Kosan.

Standing next to Mrs. Frederic, Artie muttered just loud enough for her to hear, "Nothing like this happened in the previous timeline. Nothing."

She met his worried gaze and gave him a small nod. _I do not like surprises, _she thought. _Neither does Arthur. _Silently they both stepped away from the computer desk to make room for Claudia.

Mrs. Frederic noticed that Leena stepped up to the desk and quietly grabbed Artie's Farnsworth before moving out of the way. Unnoticed by the others, Leena went into an adjacent file room and closed the door.

* * *

On the airplane, Myka glared at the small control panel over her first-class seat. She readjusted the direction of the air nozzle. _I hate being stuck on this airplane. I hate flying. I will never fly on an airplane again. _She turned on the reading light, only to turn it off again. _Pete is usually the restless and fidgeting one. Great, I'm turning into Pete. _He was away from his seat, still following a perky blond flight attendant.

She thought about checking her watch, but she knew it had only been two and a half minutes since the last time she looked. _Why does time slow down when I wish it would speed up? I'll ask Claudia. She's the physicist._

Her Farnsworth rang. _Good. Maybe Claudia can help me focus on something else. _Eagerly Myka grabbed the metallic case and opened it.

Instead, on the Farnsworth screen, she saw Leena's worried expression. "What happened? Is something wrong?"

"I want to give you an update," Leena said quietly. "Some unexpected things are happening here. Unusual, even for Warehouse 13."

Myka squinted at the videoscreen. "Are you calling from the file room again? Something is wrong."

"I knew you would want to know," Leena said, "about Jane Lattimer's plan. Her plan to save Sykes from his artifact obsession."

The name of the Regent renewed Myka's bitterness. "Any plan that helps him, or even tries to, is bound to backfire," she said. "Which means I'm probably going to hate Jane's plan."

Leena looked at her sadly. "In this case, I hope that Mrs. Lattimer's plan succeeds completely. You'll hope so, too."

Myka frowned in thought. "What are you talking about? What is she going to do?"

"Jane wants to call him on his plane," Leena said gently, "before he reaches Hong Kong, to offer an exchange." She hesitated. "In exchange for H.G., for her release, Jane wants to give Sykes the Collodi Bracelet."


	39. Ch 39

In the office, Mrs. Frederic sat at the computer and worked to reset the main drainage system for Warehouse 13. She studied the monitor and tried to block out the nearby voices of Regent Jane Lattimer and Agent Myka Bering arguing through their Farnsworths.

_Warehouse Drainage System control panel, _she read from the program menu. _Close main drains. Uncover flooring from North-South Duct. Uncover flooring from East-West Duct. _She waited as the system signalled its progress. _At least my plan to flood Warehouse 13 with Neutralizer has the advantages of practical purpose and simple implementation. Regent Lattimer's plan is unlikely to succeed. Nothing about it will be simple._

_Neutralizer Processing Center control panel. Increase Neutralizer production. _She watched the readings from the main processing unit. _While Jane's plan may improve the outcome of this timeline, she may just as easily make it worse. _

_Neutralizer Reservoir System control panel. Open main valve from reservoir into North-South Duct. Open main valve connecting North-South Duct to East-West Duct._ She frowned at the monitor. _Main valve to East-West Duct, not responding. _She sighed in frustration. _I want the East-West Duct filled with Neutralizer, too. This will require a trip to open the main valve manually._

Mrs. Frederic heard the ongoing argument because Jane Lattimer stood next to her, holding the Farnsworth.

Through the device, Agent Myka Bering protested loudly. "You want to let Sykes go free? With the Collodi Bracelet?"

"No, I want to free him from the artifact, once and for all," Jane said. "I'm sure, with Dr. Calder's input, we can find a way to heal him. But first, we must take Sykes into custody."

Mrs. Frederic glanced toward the wall of office windows, now lighted in a purplish glow by Neutralizer lamps. Claudia stood scowling, flanked protectively by Artie and Leena. _Despite Arthur's supervision, Agent Donovan will undoubtedly share her disagreement soon._

On the other side of the office, near the main exit door, stood Mr. Kosan, talking quietly into his mobile phone. Another Neutralizer lamp lit the area near the door.

From the Farnsworth, Myka's voice sounded angry. "Why are you describing Sykes as a medical patient? He's a serial murderer, who's holding Helena hostage. Talking with Sykes will just provoke him, and Helena will be in even more danger."

"Agent Bering," Jane said, "we must keep in mind that Walter Sykes was a victim, too. He's been affected by this artifact for 30 years."

Mrs. Frederic looked up from the computer to observe Leena, who watched the Regent nervously. _Leena did well to alert Agent Bering. _She glanced at Artie's angry eyes and clenched jaw. _Unfortunately, Jane will not be dissuaded from this risky plan of hers. Not by Agent Bering. Not by any of us._

"Helena is the victim right now," Myka said hoarsely. "She's alone, with no backup. Clearly, our first priority is rescuing her."

"Of course, we want to rescue Miss Wells," Jane said. "But we have a chance to prevent all the danger that proceeds from the Regent Sanctum. I think we can interrupt Sykes's vendetta by giving him the Collodi Bracelet directly. Exchanging Miss Wells for the artifact is the key to my plan."

Claudia shouted, "Really? Because your last Top Secret plan worked out so well." Artie took hold of her elbow, but she jerked her arm away from him. "Your plan got H.G. kidnapped. Your plan got Steve killed."

Myka called out from the Farnsworth, "Jane, your plan won't work. I saw Sykes, up close. I saw the cruelty in his expression, heard the mockery in his voice. Sykes doesn't want to be persuaded, or pacified. He enjoyed hurting and killing people." Her voice faltered, and she cleared her throat. "If you provoke Sykes now, he might kill Helena while they're still on the plane. Helena will die alone."

"Steve died alone," Claudia said. "Was that your plan, too?"

Jane looked sadly at Claudia, but didn't respond.

"Please," Myka said, "don't call Sykes now. At least wait until we get to the Regent Sanctum, and we reach Helena. Then you could call him and offer the exchange."

Jane shook her head. "No, if possible, I want to deter him from entering the Regent Sanctum at all. Now is the time to contact him." She took a deep breath. "My decision is final. Agent Nielsen will call you with further instructions." She closed the Farnsworth and set it on the desk.

"Agent Donovan," Jane said, "please break into the communications system on Sykes's plane, and set up a way for me to talk with him."

With her jaw clenched, Claudia stepped forward and sat at the computer.

Mrs. Frederic glanced at the Farnsworth. _Agent Bering tried to delay Jane's plan. Now it is my turn to modify this plan, and make it our plan, if possible. _From the desk, she picked up a legal pad of paper and with a pen, wrote a note. _Set up Farnsworth with Myka so she can watch, listen to call. Her comm OFF. NO VERBAL._

Claudia worked at the keyboard for a few minutes, and stopped. "I don't have to hack into his comm system."

Jane arched one of her eyebrows. "Put me in contact with Walter Sykes. That is an order, Agent Donovan."

"Orders followed," Claudia said, "with one major improvement. No hacking necessary." She turned in the office chair and stood up. "You can call Sykes the normal way. He has a Skype account, so you can videoconference. Enjoy your chat."

Artie walked over to the monitor and studied the screen. "Mrs. Lattimer, please take a seat." She sat down at the computer as Artie explained the set-up for videoconferencing.

Mrs. Frederic walked over to Leena and gave her the handwritten note. Leena read the note and looked up in surprise. Mrs. Frederic pointed at Claudia, at Leena, and then toward the file room. Leena nodded.

Mrs. Frederic nodded in return. "Anyone," she said sternly in Claudia's direction, "who wishes to may observe this conference. Observation only. During the transmission, no one is to interfere, or speak at all." She picked up another Neutralizer lamp from the boxes and held it out to Claudia.

Mrs. Frederic moved to stand beside Jane at the desk. "Agent Bering's concern for Helena is well founded," she said calmly. "Sykes is quite volatile. We must proceed carefully in our negotiations with him."

"Yes," Jane said, "Walter will be angry and probably want to rant."

"That may work to our advantage," Mrs. Frederic said. "The longer we keep the channel open, the better we can assess the situation. After you have introduced our offer to Sykes, allow him some time to consider it." She paused. "Then I will request to speak to Helena, on some pretense of verifying her identity. We want to glean as much information as possible from this conference." She glanced over her shoulder at the others.

Leena picked up another Neutralizer lamp and turned on the soft purple light. She directed Claudia to pick up her laptop, pointed toward the file room, and they quietly left the office.

* * *

On the airplane to Hong Kong, Myka sat in the practically empty First Class section. She studied the old black-and-white photo of Helena, in her Warehouse 12 days, standing next to Agent Wolcott.

Sitting beside her, Pete pointed at Wolcott. "The way H.G. talked about him, he must have been a trusty chap. I'll bet they made a great team."

"Now Helena is alone," Myka said, "with no partner, no backup. I hate that she's alone. That's so wrong." She sighed in frustration. "After this is all over, we're changing the rules."

"How many changes are you planning?" Pete asked.

"Change everything. Almost everything." Myka rubbed her forehead. "One of our new rules is going to be, 'No one works a case alone, ever.'"

She thought about how they found Steve's body. _We weren't there to back him up. Steve died alone. _"And we refuse solo assignments, too, even from Mrs. Frederic or the Regents. From now on, we always take backup. Always."

The Farnsworth rang. Pete opened it and held it toward Myka.

"I'm calling from the file room again," Leena said, "with two updates. First, this note is from Mrs. Frederic." Briefly, she held up the page with the written message. "Basically, she says you can watch and listen in on Jane's video conference with Sykes. Claudia and I will set it up for you with the Farnsworth and a monitor in here."

Myka shook her head. "I appreciate being kept in the loop, really. But I don't want to watch a pointless argument with that psychopath, or see his icy smile." She shuddered at the memory. "We'll see him in the Regent Sanctum anyway."

"That brings us to update number two," Leena said. "Mrs. Frederic is going to join the call to Sykes. She wants to talk to H.G. herself."

The surprise jolted Myka. "Talk to Helena?"

"At least see her, and see if she's OK," Leena said. "I think Mrs. Frederic wants to steer Mrs. Lattimer's conference, if she can."

_Helena has to be OK, _Myka thought._ She must survive in this timeline._ _We have to survive the Regent Sanctum, so that we can make it back to Warehouse 13 and stop the bomb. One frightening step at a time._

"Are you OK?" Leena asked.

"Yes," Myka said, "but this is going to be the longest 48 hours of our lives." She took a deep breath. "I want to see Helena, of course. Please set it up so we can watch."

Leena's face left the videoscreen, so Pete set down the open Farnsworth.

Myka looked at Helena's old photo again. _She looks so calm and confident. _She folded the photo and slipped it into her jacket pocket. _Helena won't look that way when we meet at gunpoint in the Regent Sanctum._

"I'm sorry," Pete said. "I know you're worried about H.G. and how this is going to go. Wish there was some way to let her know that we're on our way. That we're coming to get her."

Myka remembered finding Helena's locket, near the hidden door that led into the Regent Sanctum, left for them as a clue. She smiled sadly. "Helena knows we're following her. She knows."


	40. Ch 40

IN THE AIRPLANE CABIN, Helena watched Sykes as he worked. He touched a few keys on his laptop, and from its screen, looked up to the large flat videoscreen on the wall. With the handheld control device, he studied and made adjustments on what looked like an account ledger.

_Those figures indicate a large fortune, as does this private airplane,_ Helena thought. _He's probably counting his money for amusement. _She turned her attention back to Caturanga's chess book.

She studied quietly, working through the examples of chess strategies, until her concentration was disrupted.

"This should be interesting," Sykes said loudly.

Helena looked up to see the videoscreen picture had changed and now framed the concerned face of an older woman.

"Walter Sykes," the woman said. "My name is Jane Lattimer. I'd like to talk to you about the Collodi Bracelet."

_Pete's mother, the Regent. She may be calling from Warehouse 13._ Still clutching her book, Helena stood up, took a step, and stopped suddenly. She felt the artifact energy course through her limbs and bring her to a standstill. She glanced over and saw Sykes holding the illuminated DeMille Crop.

"Jane." Sykes smiled coldly at the videoscreen. "Your call is 30 years too late."

Although Helena could not move her legs, she found her jaw was unaffected. "You are in danger," she called out. "Sykes has threatened you, and Pete, by name. Claudia, too. You are all in great danger."

Jane nodded at Sykes grimly. "That's how badly you want the Collodi Bracelet. That you would kill to get it back. We know you killed Agent Jinks."

"Steve thought he could sabotage my plan," Sykes said. "No one can stop me from getting back my bracelet. Certainly not you."

"That's why I'm calling you now, to make you an offer," Jane said. "We're willing to give you the Collodi Bracelet, in exchange for the safe return of H.G. Wells."

_For me?_ Helena thought. _No, such an effort would only prove futile. Sykes is playing a deadly game, and we have already lost._

Sykes smirked. "Miss Wells knows plenty of secrets about Warehouse 13. You've just confirmed her value to me as a hostage."

"Of course, H.G. Wells is valuable," Jane said. "She's a human being. Every person's life is valuable, but you've forgotten that because the Collodi Bracelet has darkened your soul."

"My bracelet was part of me," Sykes shouted, "part of my soul, and you tore it away from me."

Helena watched as the unnatural pools of black coloring filled Sykes's eyes. Anxiously, she looked back at Jane Lattimer, whose mouth had dropped open in astonishment. _Mrs. Lattimer looks as frightened as I feel. _

"I tried," Jane stammered, "to save your soul, before it was too late. That darkness you feel, that's the effect of using the Collodi Bracelet. It darkens your perspective, literally. That craving, to get it back, to use it again, is a supernatural side-effect of the artifact."

Helena looked at Sykes again in alarm. _It is the artifact he lost that still possesses him? After 30 years of separation, he still carries the darkness inside him?_

"I'm going to get my Bracelet back," Sykes said. "It's just a matter of time."

"And I want to help you do that, Walter," Jane said. "Our first step is to give you the Collodi Bracelet, in exchange for Miss Wells. Please consider my offer. Take a few minutes to think it over."

On the screen, Jane Lattimer moved out of view, and in her place appeared a woman Helena recognized.

"Mr. Sykes," the woman said. "We haven't met yet. My name is Mrs. Frederic."

"I suppose you are one of the Regents," he said.

"I supervise Warehouse 13, and the storage of the artifacts," she said. "I can confirm Mrs. Lattimer's offer is genuine. The Collodi Bracelet will be handed over to you, in exchange for the safe return of Agent Wells. You've shown yourself to be a meticulous thinker. You have nothing to lose by considering this offer carefully. But for the next few minutes, I must speak with Agent Wells."

_Agent Wells,_ Helena thought. _She called me an agent. _The reference surprised her, and she felt her despaired spirit rise, however slightly.

"Why?" Sykes asked.

Mrs. Frederic lowered her chin and peered over the frames of her glasses. "If we are to make such an unusual exchange, I need to verify the woman with you is, in fact, Agent Wells, and not an illusion produced by some artifact."

Sykes smirked at her. With one hand, he let go of the DeMille Crop. He looked at Helena and nodded his head toward the videoscreen. "Talk."

Helena took several hesitant steps closer to the large screen on the wall. She gave a nod of acknowledgement to Mrs. Frederic. "I hardly know where to begin."

Mrs. Frederic smiled slightly. "Agent Wells, how are you feeling?"

"Solid," Helena said, "now that my consciousness has been rejoined with my physical body." With one hand, she held up Caturanga's chess book. She hugged the book to her chest again. "Surprised to find myself, and the Janus Coin, in the custody of Mr. Sykes."

"When Agents Bering and Lattimer located the airplane hangar," Mrs. Frederic said, "they found Agent Jinks's body. I'm sorry we did not reach either of you in time."

_Steve. Claudia. Myka. _Helena's mind raced with information to relay to Mrs. Frederic. "Claudia," she said. "In the woods. With the Coin." She paused and took a breath. "Sykes ordered Marcus and Steve to abduct Claudia and to take the Janus Coin. But in the woods, Steve protected Claudia, he made sure she got away safely. Sykes realized this, and Marcus killed Steve. Please, tell Claudia about his bravery."

Surprised that she was allowed to talk freely, Helena looked at Sykes.

"Talk all you want," Sykes said. "But all of you are wasting your time. There's nothing you can do to stop me."

"I'm afraid Mr. Sykes may be telling the truth on this point," Helena said to Mrs. Frederic. "With the DeMille Crop, he can control the physical actions of other people, myself included." She thought of Tyler, manipulated by Sykes, punching her in the stomach. "Although I would rather die than work for him, it appears I will have no choice but to do as he directs."

"We're working to secure your release as soon as possible," Mrs. Frederic said.

Helena smiled sadly. "Mr. Sykes knows that Myka and Pete are flying to Hong Kong, pursuing him. I see no way for them to prevail under these circumstances. You must order Myka and Pete to return home."

Mrs. Frederic shook her head. "This isn't over yet, by any means. We still have time to reach you."

Helena remembered her last meeting with Myka, Claudia, and Pete. _I have said my goodbyes already. The glorious future belongs to Claudia. _She took a deep breath. "Never mind about me. Claudia is the one you must protect. Sykes has threatened again to abduct her."

Sykes huffed in irritation. "Does all this chatter confirm the identity of H.G. Wells? Don't expect her to tell you anything useful, either. I'm so many steps ahead of you in my plan, you'll never catch up."

Mrs. Frederic stared intently at her. "Of course, you are Helena Wells. I know my own agents."

_The intensity of her demeanor seems familiar. The angle of her head, the tone of her voice, _she remembered. _Mrs. Frederic spoke this way in my dream. I could not grasp the meaning of the dream message. I wonder, what might the message mean to her? _

Helena gave another nod to Mrs. Frederic. "As confirmation of my identity, I would refer to your last message. I can repeat the content of the last message you transmitted to me."

Mrs. Frederic paused and arched one of her eyebrows. "Proceed."

"It's time to go," Helena said thoughtfully. "Find Claudia, Joshua. MacPherson is playing the long game."


	41. Ch 41

In the office of Warehouse 13, Mrs. Frederic stared at the video transmission of Helena Wells in stunned silence. She heard Artie gasp and say, "Myka," before he stopped himself.

_Apparently Arthur recognizes this message, _she thought. _Strange that I do not. But Helena is attempting to help, despite her precarious position. _"Yes, Agent Wells," she said, "thank you for confirming the message."

Behind her, she heard the file room door squeak open on its hinges and the clamor of Claudia entering the office, only to be intercepted by Artie and shushed.

_I wonder, what other interesting information might be discovered if we continue this interview? _Mrs. Frederic focused her attention on Walter Sykes. "I must advise you, Mr. Sykes, that we are not entirely ignorant of your dealings. We know that James MacPherson was the one who supplied you with artifacts, some of them stolen from Warehouse 13."

"Worth every penny, too," Sykes said, holding up the DeMille Crop with one hand.

_Thank you for confirming my suspicions,_ she thought.

"But MacPherson didn't finish the job," Sykes said. "He was supposed to bring me more artifacts. When I didn't hear back from him, I realized he'd been stopped somehow. I assume you caught him and locked him up."

_Helena killed him, but strangely enough, MacPherson is still locked up. On some other day, I might appreciate the irony._ "MacPherson has been detained," she said, "here in Warehouse 13. If the decision were up to me, I would detain you, too, right alongside him."

Mrs. Frederic glanced over toward the exit door. Mr. Kosan stood silently and watched the conference. Jane Lattimer paced behind the desk, listening to Sykes.

"See, that's ironic," Sykes said.

Mrs. Frederic glared at him, struggling to mask her growing annoyance.

"If you hadn't stopped MacPherson," Sykes said, pointing at her, "more of your people might still be alive. Because he assured me he could return Collodi's Bracelet to me. He understood that my bracelet is part of me, that it belongs to me."

Surprised, Jane Lattimer stopped pacing. Claudia began to speak up, but Artie shushed her again.

_MacPherson planned to return a dangerous artifact to its victim?_ she thought. _A disturbing prospect, but, knowing James, probably true. _She glanced at Mr. Kosan again. _Also disturbing is the resemblance of Jane's plan to MacPherson's, however inadvertent. _

Sykes shook his head. "But since you prevented him from returning my bracelet, I've had to go to great lengths to get what's mine."

Restlessly, Jane stepped up beside her and leaned toward the video monitor. "Walter, you can have the Collodi Bracelet. I can leave for Hong Kong immediately to make the exchange."

"Too late, Jane," he said. "You had your chance to make things right while I was still a boy." He shifted his baseball bat across his lap and held it close to him. "You robbed me of my chance to walk again, to play baseball. My bracelet didn't damage my soul. You did that."

_Sykes had no intention of making the exchange,_ she thought. _This was merely an opportunity for him to gloat over us. _

The pools of black coloring swirled in Sykes's eyes. "You are 30 years too late," he said loudly. "I'm going to get my bracelet back, but on my terms, not yours. I want justice for what you did to me."

Mrs. Frederic watched as Helena took a step away from Sykes, and clutched the locket at her throat.

_We know his idea of justice means killing all of us,_ she thought. _Will this convince Jane and the Regents that Sykes is not the victim in our current situation?_

Sykes spoke more calmly. "I'm going to get that justice, soon." Coldly, he smiled at Jane Lattimer. "But all of you who work for Warehouse 13, you've run out of time."

The videoscreen went blank.

* * *

In the airplane cabin, Helena stood motionless, but her heart raced. _So much more information I could have given to Mrs. Frederic. _Silently she cursed herself. _ I am a trained Warehouse agent. I must find a way to help Myka and the others. _Warily she watched Sykes for his reaction.

Sykes sat staring at the empty screen. "Hmm," he said finally. He shifted the baseball bat he cradled in his arms. "They still don't know any important details. Jane Lattimer has no idea what's about to happen to her."

He glanced over at her. "Go sit down."

As she moved to her seat, Sykes turned his wheelchair around and stared at the chessboard full of pieces. "The Warehouse agents are in for a big surprise. Still," he said, "I think I'll take a few extra precautions."

He retrieved his mobile phone and made a call. "Marcus," Sykes said. "Where are you now?"

She tried not to picture Marcus murdering Steve and instead willed herself to study a chessboard diagram in the book.

"I want to move up our schedule," Sykes said to him. "Go to Univille now, and secure the Bed & Breakfast. Claudia Donovan is your main target, but take as many hostages as you can. Then get the cannon set up."

_Hostages? A cannon?_ Helena's thoughts churned. _What further madness could he be planning? _

"Yes," Sykes said into his phone, "as soon as possible."

* * *

In the office, Mrs. Frederic stood at the desk and took a deep breath. Near the exit door, she saw Jane Lattimer quietly arguing with Mr. Kosan. She turned her gaze toward the opposite wall, where Artie and Claudia leaned near the Farnsworth and talked loudly to Myka. _We have a great deal of work to do. Preparations to make._ She sighed tiredly.

Artie brought the Farnsworth to her. "Agent Bering wants to talk to you."

"Mrs. Frederic," Myka shouted from the Farnsworth, "Helena's message, what does it mean?"

"I do not know," she said.

"But you must have had some reason to send the message."

"To my knowledge, I sent no such message."

On the Farnsworth screen, Myka frowned in thought. "I'm pretty sure you sent it, because I got the same message from you, in my dream."

Mrs. Frederic looked at Artie, who fidgeted with his glasses, and looked back at Myka. "What dream?"

"While I was sleeping," Myka said, "you came to talk to me, and gave me the message, as if it were urgent."

Jane Lattimer walked over, stood next to Mrs. Frederic, and glanced at the Farnsworth.

_A message I did not send, with meaning I do not understand, _she thought. "When did you have this dream?"

"After the Warehouse was destroyed," Myka said. "After you died. Artie says there's no such thing as ghosts, but that was definitely you, talking to me in my dream."

_After I died. I died as a result of the explosion._ Mrs. Frederic paused a moment to collect herself. "I'm not sure what to make of this dream message. I don't think this has happened before."

She glanced over at Claudia, who fidgeted with her ring and looked out the office windows into Warehouse 13.

Artie cleared his throat. "Actually, yes, it has. You've sent dream messages to me, too." He adjusted his glasses. "Before."

Mrs. Frederic frowned at him. "When?"

"After MacPherson killed me in the Umbilicus," he said, "and your limo crashed. While you were unconscious, in the hospital, I fell asleep beside your bed and you talked to me, in my dream."

"I see," she said. "What message did I give?"

"The same message," Artie said. "It's time to go, back to the beginning. Find Claudia, Joshua. MacPherson is playing the long game."

"Oh my," Mrs. Frederic said. _The message is the same? Why?_

"OK," Claudia said, "I'm really uncomfortable being the subject of the Mystery Messages. And if Mrs. Frederic doesn't have the Decoder Ring, then who does? The message bothers me way more than the ghost thing."

Artie took the open Farnsworth so Myka could hear him. "It's not a ghost thing," he said gruffly. "But I do have a theory. Maybe it's the Warehouse." He looked at Mrs. Frederic. "Because you're linked to Warehouse 13, literally, as Caretaker. If the Warehouse, the living entity, really wanted to communicate, naturally it would use you as its spokesperson. Or, in this case, supernaturally."

Mrs. Frederic stared at him in silence.

Artie flinched. "That sounded like information that should be highly classified, didn't it? Sorry," he mumbled.

"For the moment," Jane Lattimer said, "let's leave aside the mystery message. H.G. Wells gave us a clear warning. Sykes wants to abduct Agent Donovan. He's proven he's capable of acting on such threats. We should consider Agent Donovan to be in imminent danger, and prepare accordingly."

"Prepare?" Artie asked. "How?"

Mrs. Frederic noticed Claudia as she quietly stepped back from the busy discussion, toward the office door that led into the Warehouse.

"Mr. Kosan has a Regent Security team, waiting outside," Jane said. "They can transport Agent Donovan to a safe location. She should remain in hiding, at least until Sykes and Marcus have been taken into custody."

From the open Farnsworth, Myka shouted, "No! Claudia cannot leave the Warehouse. We need her to stop the Artifact-Bomb. Artie, tell them."

Jane moved to stand beside Artie. Loudly they conferred with Myka over the Farnsworth.

Mrs. Frederic watched as Claudia quietly opened the office door and darted out. Through the office windows, she saw Claudia move rapidly along the overlook platform and out of sight.

Pausing from her debate with Artie and Myka, Jane turned to look at Mrs. Frederic. "Irene," she said, "don't you think, for her own protection, that Claudia should leave Warehouse 13? I certainly think so."

Mrs. Frederic said calmly, "Agent Donovan disagrees."


	42. Ch 42

From the office, Mrs. Frederic walked onto the metal platform overlooking Warehouse 13. She stood at the railing, took a deep breath, and tried to get a sense of Claudia's location.

Instead, she frowned in annoyance. _Not the person I was hoping to find. _She turned to her left and glared at the ghostly figure. "James MacPherson. I told you to go away."

"You look quite concerned," MacPherson said. "Where was young Claudia running off to in such a hurry? She looked rather unhappy."

"You look like death," she said sharply. "I remember all your tirades about how the Regents were wrong, and how artifacts should be loosed into the world. You hated working for the Warehouse. So why do you insist on hanging around?"

A brief flicker of rage crossed MacPherson's face before his calm mask slipped back into place. "Leave the field of battle? Forfeit the game?" He smiled. "You know how I enjoy a challenging match of wits."

_Leena and Claudia were correct, _she thought. _For some reason, MacPherson is unable to leave. _She glanced back at the office windows, and wished she had not left her Tesla on the desk. Seeing the purplish light inside the office, she turned to look at MacPherson's non-solid form. _He waited outside the office. The Neutralizer lamps work as a deterrent. _

"I do not find your presence challenging," she said. "Merely tedious. You have your opportunity to leave Warehouse 13. Take it." She stepped across the platform, entered the office, and closed the door.

Across the room, near the office exit, Mrs. Frederic saw Dr. Vanessa Calder, talking with Mr. Kosan and Jane Lattimer. Near the Warehouse physician stood several more people, including one man she recognized as a Regent. _Dr. Calder brought a medical team? I do not have time to hear about treatment options for Walter Sykes._

Artie sat at his computer, working, and Leena stood beside him, looking over his shoulder.

Mrs. Frederic walked to the nearest table, retrieved two more Neutralizer lamps from the box, and retreated to the file room. She set up the purple lights and sat at the computer terminal.

Now that the Warehouse intruder had been identified, she no longer felt frightened. But MacPherson's reappearance interfered with her own schedule for their defensive preparations. Her decision to carry the Pocketwatch and wear the Aegis of Athena seemed wiser by the hour.

A few moments later, Artie walked in carrying his open Farnsworth and an unlit Neutralizer lamp. Leena followed, holding up her glowing lantern.

"I checked the motion sensors," Artie said, "but I can't get a clear read on Claudia's location."

Leena asked, "What if she doesn't want to be found right away? Would it be possible for her to hide in the Warehouse?"

"Yes," Mrs. Frederic said, trying to restrain her irritation, "although difficult, it is possible. Agent Donovan told me so herself."

From the open Farnsworth, Myka asked, "What kind of danger could Claudia be in?"

"In our current circumstances," Mrs. Frederic said, "we are all in imminent danger. The message about Agent Donovan most likely refers to the threat made by Sykes."

From the main office came sounds of several people talking. Leena said, "I'll go and make sure Dr. Calder has what she needs." She left the file room.

"I can't believe Helena and I got the same dream message," Myka said. "I can't believe Jane Lattimer thought she could talk Sykes out of his vendetta. I can't believe this timeline is turning out so differently than we expected. If only we had arrived early, like we planned."

Mrs. Frederic cut her off. "No, you cannot use the Pocketwatch Artifact. No more time travel for you."

Artie fidgeted nervously with his glasses. "OK, Myka," he said into the Farnsworth, "thanks for calling." Abruptly, he shut the small metallic case.

Mrs. Frederic stared intently at the computer monitor, skimmed a file document, and tried to ignore Artie's stare. "We have work to do."

"What about me?" he said. "If I used the Pocketwatch, by myself."

She pointed to his portable lamp on the table. "Turn that on."

"How many Neutralizer lights do we need?" he asked.

"More," she said.

He switched on the purple light, picked up the lantern, and moved to sit next to her at the desk.

"My answer is 'no,'" Mrs. Frederic said. "You tried time travel. Your trip brought the three of you here, to this relatively late date, for a reason."

"Myka asked me what you meant, earlier," he said. "You told her the artifact is from the future. That raises at least 100 more questions."

She did not respond, but continued working at the computer.

He shrugged. "Is that why the Pocketwatch didn't work the way I set it?"

"We know little about the device and how it works," she said. "Even after extensive study, Nikola Tesla had just as many questions."

"What makes you think," he asked, "or what made Tesla think, the Pocketwatch was from the future?"

"Because it was sent to the Warehouse, specifically to Agent Tesla, for the express purpose of fixing World War 2."

"Sent?" he asked. "Someone sent the Pocketwatch back in time to Tesla?"

"Someone from the desolate future timeline where World War 2 never really ended. Depending on the geographical region, the war paused a few years, only to resume with heavy fighting and huge death tolls."

Artie shook his head. "How does an object get sent back to the late 1940s?"

"Through a small and short-lived dimensional rift, by Warehouse personnel determined to change history."

"Someone," he said, "who knew enough to send the Pocketwatch to Tesla."

"A Caretaker for the Warehouse," she said, "more than 100 years from now."

Artie rubbed his beard. "This future Caretaker, did she look like you?"

"Tesla described the person he saw." She paused. "Or rather, he described the person's transmitted image, as an older woman."

"Older," he said, "is a relative term."

Mrs. Frederic clasped her hands in her lap and turned to look at him. "A woman who introduced herself as Claudia."

Artie gaped at her, speechless.

The file room door opened and Leena returned carrying her glowing purple lantern. "I'm going to make a quick trip back to the B&B." She stopped and frowned. "Artie, you look really pale. Are you feeling OK?"

"Fine," he said. "All these Neutralizer lights. Purple. Not a good color for me."

Leena studied him skeptically. "I'll be gone a little while. I want to run over to the Beckett's B&B and warn them."

"What?" he said. "The neighbors are willing to keep Trailer for a while. What would you warn them about? They live more than a mile up the road from your house."

"Less than a mile," Leena said. "I want to warn them about the big trouble headed our way."

"No," he said, "they can't be told anything about our work. We're classified. And no, I don't want you to leave Warehouse 13. I don't think it's safe for any of us to venture out right now."

"According to your previous timeline, Marcus doesn't arrive at our B&B until much later," Leena said. "But he's the reason we need to warn the Becketts. I don't want them anywhere near us if something happens."

Leena picked up the phone on the desk and dialed the number.

"Wait," Artie said. "What are you going to tell them?"

"The truth," she said. "Two psychopathic men are bitter about an old injury claim. They blame the government. They've threatened to harm the federal agents who work here at this government facility. The government takes these threats seriously. We advise caution for the next 48 hours."

Artie sighed in frustration as Leena greeted Mrs. Beckett over the phone. After chatting in her calmest voice for a few moments, Leena said, "Yes, of course, you can take Trailer. He loves to ride in the truck. I'd be happy to check on your house while you're gone. Have a great time with the grandkids."

Leena hung up the phone. "The Becketts had already planned a trip to Rapid City to visit their family. They'll be out of harm's way. Today's secrets are safe for a little while longer."

Artie said nothing as she picked up her lantern.

"I still think you don't look well," Leena said, frowning at him. "I know you're worried about Claudia."

Artie nodded and adjusted his glasses.

"But I'm sure she'll call you soon." Leena stepped toward the door. "Since I'm staying here, I'll start making chicken noodle soup now, rather than later. You need something healthy to eat." She left the file room, shutting the door behind her.

Mrs. Frederic continued working at the computer, reading files.

Artie sat still, staring at her again.

"Is there something else?" she asked.

"There certainly is something else," he said grimly. "Tell me. Tell me about Claudia."


	43. Ch 43

_edited June 5, 2013, for clarity & continuity - I gave actor Eddie McClintock's artistic abilities to his character, Pete, so he can draw detailed sketches. (see also, ch. 10)_

* * *

.

In the practically empty first-class section of the airplane, Myka sat and frowned at her open Farnsworth with its darkened videoscreen. _Why isn't Claudia answering? Where could she be?_

The Farnsworth rang again, but no one answered. _I hate being stuck on this plane. It feels like we're going nowhere. _She looked down at the pile of paper in front of her, the pages marked with Post-It Notes and her handwriting. _All this background information about the case, but the trail leads where? More questions._

Seated next to her, Pete sketched with a black pen on a pad of paper. "Don't look yet," he said. "Wait until I finish the picture."

"I've let the Farnsworth ring nine times," she said. "Why isn't Claudia answering?"

"Probably her comm channel is tied up," he said, intently drawing more lines. "Maybe she's talking to Artie right now."

"Leena's worried." Myka caught herself biting her fingernail. "She said Artie looked upset, and even pale. Claudia's not showing up on the motion sensors network. What if they can't find her?"

"We know right where she is." Pete shaded in part of the picture. "Claudia is in the Warehouse. She's home."

"Yes, but we can't afford for anything else to go wrong. Claudia has a crucial job, this time around. And how is she getting past the motion sensors?"

Pete smiled slightly as he added to his drawing. "I think I know how."

Finally, Claudia's face appeared on the Farnsworth screen.

"Where have you been?" Myka asked. "We've been really worried about you."

Claudia shrugged. "Sorry. Let's just say, I was held up."

Pete looked up from his sketch and called toward the Farnsworth, "Are you hiding out from the Regents?"

"I'm not hiding. I'm working," she said, "because I am a Warehouse agent, with important work to do on our defense plans."

Pete leaned toward Myka and squinted at the videoscreen. "Is that a rifle sticking up behind your head? You're carrying the Tesla rifle?"

"I'm carrying several Teslas," Claudia said. "If I wore a brown coat, instead of black, I could be Zoe Washburne, the warrior woman of _Serenity_." She shifted to adjust the weight of several straps hanging over her shoulder. "OK, maybe not a warrior, but I aim to misbehave."

_Her jet-black hair makes her look older, angrier,_ Myka thought. _Although she was already furious. Now she's quoting outlaws and carrying Teslas. _"Did you let Artie know that you're OK? He's worried, especially since you're not even showing up on the motion sensors."

"Cool," Claudia said.

"Not cool," Myka said, "to make the older people worry like that."

"I can guess," Pete said, "how Claudia's sneaking around. Probably because I'm fairly young."

Myka scowled at him.

"OK," Claudia said, "I'm sorry, officially, that I made you guys worry. I'll call Artie if I don't run into him soon."

"How are you getting past the sensors?" Myka asked. "Some high-tech method of yours?"

"Nope."

"Oh no," Myka said, "you're not using an artifact, are you?"

"No, no, my current method of travel is low-tech. Almost old-fashioned."

Pete called out, "How about an update on the defensive measures?"

"I went to check out the Portal access," Claudia said. "I can't see a way to open our Stargate from the Warehouse side, at least, not yet. One of the main aqueducts is almost filled with Purple Goo. We still have to open another valve."

"Still can't believe that was Mrs. Frederic's idea," Pete muttered. "I should be the one flooding the Warehouse with Purple Goo. Doesn't that sound like me?"

Claudia pushed a strand of black hair behind her ear. "Generally, I'm headed to the Cold War Bunker to help set up our work space."

"What are you doing now?" Myka asked.

"I'm collecting supplies for your stash," she said, "and setting up one or two Claudia contingencies. Tell Pete, thanks for the water guns. I think they'll come in handy."

Pete leaned over toward the Farnsworth. "Water guns? For what?"

"Still in the idea stage," Claudia said. "Need to make a few tests for distance and accuracy."

Pete said quietly, "Wish I could carry a water gun." He tilted his head as he studied his drawing.

"Hold on." Claudia looked away from the videoscreen momentarily. "I'm here by the Bronze Sector, and I have another idea I want to run by you."

"Please tell me, you are not hiding out in the Bronze Sector," Pete said. "That place is creepy on a good day."

"No, I told you," Claudia said, "I'm on my way from the Portal over to the Cold War Bunker. You have to pass right by the Bronze Sector. But it reminded me about H.G., and about the future. After this is over, we want H.G. to be reinstated, to be a field agent again."

"Definitely. As soon as possible." Myka took a deep breath. _As soon as these horrible days are over, and we're all back home._

"We wouldn't let H.G. be Bronzed again," Claudia said, "no matter what the Regents say."

She clenched her jaw. "Never again."

"So while I'm here," Claudia said, "do you want me to fix the Bronzer, so it doesn't work? I mean, unfix the Bronzer, so it can't be used to imprison our favorite scientist?"

Myka didn't get a chance to answer.

"No," Pete said, "the Bronzer needs to be ready to go. Think about defense. Maybe this time, when we chase Sykes, we can steer him right into the chamber and freeze him on the spot. Sooner or later, I think he'll end up Bronzed anyway."

Myka paused. _Not if I kill Sykes first. That's still Plan A. My plan that I'm keeping a secret from my partner. I've kept secrets from my partner in two timelines now, because I'm a terrible person. _She rubbed her forehead.

"Tell Claudia." Pete nudged her arm with his elbow.

"I agree with Pete," she said, "about defensive measures. We need all the backup plans we can set up."

"Backup plans. The more the better." Claudia's eyes glanced down, away from the Farnsworth, and she shrugged slightly.

Myka studied her expression. _Claudia's making that face again, her attempt at a poker face. What is she not telling me?_

"OK," Claudia said, "I'll be on my way, then."

"Wait," she said. "Tell me how you're getting past the motion sensors without being detected."

"Nope, not yet." Claudia raised one eyebrow. "Myka, you of all people can figure it out."

"I know how," Pete said loudly.

"Then please don't tell anyone else," Claudia said, "because I don't have time for any more Regent meetings." The videoscreen went blank.

Frustrated, she closed the Farnsworth. _Is Claudia hiding something? Why would she keep a secret now? _She glanced at Pete and realized he was grinning as if he'd won a contest.

"I finished the picture," Pete said. "And I know how Claudia is getting past the sensors."

She eyed him skeptically. "How?"

Pete held up the paper to show off his drawing. "She's going up and over the motion sensors, along the tops of the shelves," he said. "The old-fashioned way."

In his highly detailed sketch, the dark-haired Helena Wells stood next to a wall. In her hand, Helena held up her Grappler Gun. From the gun, its dark cable arced upward, and its small anchor hooked onto the top of the wall.

Myka smiled slightly at the accurate likeness. "Old-fashioned, indeed."

.

* * *

.

"Tell me," Artie said grimly. "Tell me about Claudia."

"I cannot tell you what I do not know," Mrs. Frederic said.

"Then tell me what you think." Briefly Artie glanced around in the purplish glow of the file room lit by Neutralizer lamps. "You're worried about Claudia. I remember now, when I first arrived in this timeline, in the office. You were upset that we'd used the Pocketwatch."

"We've already been over this."

"Yes," he said, "but it was Claudia, specifically, her time-travelling, that alarmed you."

She frowned at the computer monitor, skimming through more file information.

"Claudia is my agent, too," he said. "My responsibility. I want to protect her just as much as you do. More. She's my family. Tell me."

Mrs. Frederic glanced over her shoulder at the closed file-room door. She picked up the nearest Neutralizer lamp and held it between them. "Claudia must never use the Pocketwatch," she said quietly, "because it may change the timeline too drastically."

"Because in the future, she's going to be the Caretaker?"

"No, Claudia _was _the Caretaker, in another future. That was more than two timelines ago, because of the many changes made by Tesla and the other agents. We do not know what will happen this time."

"But you're worried," he said, "about how much the Pocketwatch, our time-travel trip, affected Claudia's future."

"I think it might be the other way around," she said. "I'm afraid Claudia's presence affected the Pocketwatch, and maybe the timeline itself."

"How?"

"Your time trip was cut short, much shorter than you planned. You travelled back only a few days."

"Yes," he said. "You think it's because of Claudia? How could the user's identity affect an artifact?"

Mrs. Frederic stared at him. "I doubt the Pocketwatch is an artifact."

"What?" Artie shook his head. "It's a dangerous and powerful object. It does something that should be impossible. The Pocketwatch acts like an artifact."

"No, not like other artifacts," she said. "Tesla noted its unusual behavior, and you have experienced it yourself. The device has specific limits. Limits on who can use the Pocketwatch. Limits on how far back in time people are allowed to travel. Limits on which threads of time can be unravelled."

Artie raised his eyebrows. "And the watch was sent here from the future."

"I think the Pocketwatch device is a piece of technology," she said, "designed and sent from that future."

"A device with set limitations," he said, "because Tesla and a few agents were only supposed to use it to fix World War 2."

"I dislike time travel on principle," Mrs. Frederic said, "because the timelines are likely to worsen, instead of improve. But too many changes made to the timeline." She paused. "What if too many events, too many threads in a timeline, come unravelled?"

"So the Pocketwatch was for a limited assignment," he said, "and was designed with functional limitations, probably for safety reasons."

"The message transmitted to Tesla," she said, "included a great amount of information about history and key events in the 1930s. But then, after some stern warnings, the instructions about using the Pocketwatch seemed incomplete. The message ended abruptly, as if the transmission were cut off."

Artie gasped. "The user instructions, and the safety warnings, came from the older Claudia, the future Caretaker."

Once more, Mrs. Frederic glanced around in the purplish shadows of the file room and turned to face him. "Not just the Caretaker," she said quietly. "It is highly probable that Claudia was the Watchmaker."


	44. Ch 44

Myka frowned at the assortment of papers and notes in front of her. _I've reread the background information in these case files. MacPherson may be the key to this solving this puzzle, but the other pieces still don't fit into a clearer picture. _She shifted the papers into a neat stack and set them in the airplane seat next to her.

Standing up, she stretched her legs, turned around, and glanced back through the first-class section of the airplane. The area was empty except for one seat in the back corner. Pete sat near a window, with a pillow between his head and the wall, sound asleep.

_I'm glad one of us can sleep,_ she thought. _Maybe if I were asleep, I wouldn't worry so much about all the potential dangers ahead of us. _She tried to remember the last time she'd gotten a good night's sleep. Instead, the memory of Mrs. Frederic's intense dream-message came to mind. _Sleep might not be so restful anyway. _

She sat down again, thinking about Mrs. Frederic's words of warning. _When she told me to 'find Claudia', Claudia was right there with us, in the B&B, so the message didn't seem relevant. Now, Claudia is hiding, but only from the Regents. As Pete pointed out, Claudia's in the Warehouse, so she's home. _

Myka rubbed her forehead. _But she is hiding. Claudia doesn't need to be found, does she?_

She reviewed Mrs. Frederic's words. _Basically, I got the same message she gave to Artie. Then Helena got the same dream-message as ours. _She picked up a pad of paper and listed out the parts of the message. _MacPherson. MacPherson's schemes, and their consequences, are still endangering us. That part isn't a mystery. _She drew an arrow and wrote _Sykes_, connecting the men's names. _We know Sykes got the artifacts, and probably his information, from MacPherson. That's the connection to today's danger._

_Back to the beginning. _She stared at the phrase. _The beginning of what? _The message was strange enough, but the transmission of the dreams also unnerved her.

_Two dreams, _Myka remembered. _Mrs. Frederic spoke to me twice. _She closed her eyes and tried to recall the scene, watching Artie and Claudia recreate Joshua's teleportation experiment. _Claudia rescued her brother, so his life started again. Claudia started working for Warehouse 13. Was that the beginning? _

In that dream, Mrs. Frederic stated something else neither Artie nor Helena mentioned. _She said, "Every artifact in this Warehouse is an extension of a person. Understand Rheticus, understand the Compass." In my dream, was she talking about the Compass, or artifacts in general? Artifacts are closely connected to people, sometimes literally, like Sykes._

She drew several question marks. _Today we're fighting against the Artifact-Bomb. But I don't see how the origin of the Compass, or of the House of Commons Fragment, is important today. What artifact was Mrs. Frederic talking about?_

Myka retrieved the sketch of Helena with her Grappler Gun. _If Helena and I got the same dream-message, one point is clear. Claudia is in danger, somehow. Or she will be, in the future. _She set the sketch aside. _Helena is in danger. We all are. _

On her laptop, she opened the browser to a map website. Myka picked up her Farnsworth.

Claudia answered. "Still worried about me? I told you, I'm fine."

"I'm worried about everything," Myka said. "But next on my list is worrying about the quickest way to get to the Regent Sanctum. I need your help."

"You've got it," Claudia said. "Just hold on a minute while I finish snagging some inventory."

Myka watched the Farnsworth as Claudia's face left the videoscreen, but heard Claudia's voice. "I'm in the Strength and Invincibility aisle. I wanted Godfrid's Spoon. See?" On the screen, she saw the metal cup and part of the long handle.

Myka was puzzled. "You want to drink out of an artifact ladle and make yourself super-strong?"

Claudia's face returned to the videoscreen. "No, I want it for evidence. Remember? Positive proof that we solve most of our cases. Godfrid's Spoon was the only case I worked with H.G. as a field agent. Also, this big ladle is proof that H.G. Wells worked as an agent for Warehouse 13, and she saved my life. Proof that she existed. I'll put it in her Grab-and-Go bag, with a Grappler."

Myka smiled sadly. "Thank you for collecting the supplies. And thank you for the reminder, and the evidence. I needed those."

Claudia looked past the videoscreen. "Hey, here, on the next shelf, is Excalibur. You snagged the famous sword, and your name is even listed in the ID info. Want me to stash the sword for you, with your Grab-and-Go bag? You know, just in case?"

"No, thank you," Myka said. "I'll be armed heavily enough. I'm pretty sure I will not need a sword. Plus, there's a limit to how much I can carry when I'm chasing a Bad Guy."

"Good point. The Spoon is a heavy metal, too," Claudia said. "OK, I've got to avoid the motion sensors, so I'll call you back in a few minutes."

After Myka answered the Farnsworth again, she told Claudia, "Pete says you're using the Grappler Gun to move along the tops of the shelves."

Claudia shrugged slightly. "The Grapplers should be standard issue for field agents again. Add that to your list of policy changes for Warehouse 13." She pushed a lock of black hair behind her ear. "OK, what's next?"

"Once our plane lands in Hong Kong," Myka said, "Pete and I still have to get through the city, and travel further, to Tai Po, where the Regent Sanctum is located. The city is dense with buildings and packed with crowds anyway." She rubbed her forehead. "Last time, the streets were so jammed with vehicles, we kept getting stuck. I want to plan several alternate routes through Hong Kong and Tai Po."

"You're worried," Claudia said, "about getting to H.G. in time."

"I'm terrified." Myka paused to collect herself. "Part of me can hardly wait to see Helena again, to see her alive. But the other part of me dreads venturing down into the Regent Sanctum again." She shook her head. "I haven't told Pete everything yet, about what will happen in the Sanctum. The steps, the moments, we'll have to relive before we can come back home through the Portal."

Claudia gave a small nod, but she looked down, away from the screen.

Myka took a deep breath. "One step at a time, right? I just have to stay focused on the next step. Helena is alive, and she knows we're coming to help her."

"You don't need to worry," Claudia said firmly.

"I know," Myka said, "you guys will figure out how to stop the bomb. Artie and Mrs. Frederic will be ready with artifacts, and you and Helena will deactivate the bomb."

"Not just about the bomb," Claudia said. "I mean, about everything. You don't need to worry."

"What do you mean, everything?"

"We made a plan to fix everything, remember?" Claudia said. "With a little tweaking, your plan is still our backup plan. Time is on our side."

"How can you be sure?" Myka's concern grew quickly. "What have you been working on? Tell me."

"We're not waiting around for this timeline to go wrong," Claudia said. "That's why, after our time-travel trip, I drove straight from the B&B to the Warehouse."

Myka felt a twinge of fear. "What did you do, Claudia?"

"I left my family heirloom watch on Artie's desk," Claudia said. "I swapped the artifact again."

Myka's pulse pounded as she stared at the Farnsworth videoscreen. Claudia's hand held a small, flat, round object.

"Here's our backup plan," Claudia said. "I've got the Pocketwatch."


	45. Ch 45

**Author's Note: **THANK YOU to all of you who are reading and following this story! I hope 2013 is a Happy New Year for you!

* * *

Artie spoke confidently into the Farnsworth. "We have the Hope Diamond here in Warehouse 13, since we snuck into the Smithsonian and swapped the gem with a duplicate."

In the Cold War Bunker, now lit with purple Neutralizer lights, Mrs. Frederic listened as Artie reported their progress to Regents Adwin Kosan and Jane Lattimer in the main office.

"Because of its artifact properties," Artie said, "the Diamond can cut through any type of material. We can use the Hope Diamond to cut open the container, and dismantle the bomb components."

Mrs. Frederic stood at a worktable and examined the items they had collected._ I understand the Regents are uneasy about what may transpire, _she thought, _but more discussion is unproductive. Arthur and I have work to do._

Artie rubbed his forehead. "Leena is retrieving the Diamond, and collecting more items from inventory to counteract the Artifact-Bomb." He glanced nervously at Mrs. Frederic. "Claudia is working on this, too."

"We know," he said, "that the negative force of the entire German Luftwaffe is stored up in the House of Commons Masonry Fragment Artifact. Detonating the artifact releases that force, like setting off a nuclear bomb."

Mrs. Frederic stood at the worktable in front of a lacquered wooden box, almost two feet wide. She lifted the lid of the antique box and propped it open. Inside was a still-functioning phonograph from the 1930s. She plugged in its electrical cord to give the turntable a brief test-run.

"One strategy," Artie said to the Regents, "is to neutralize the negative force with an equal or greater positive force. For example, we have the original vinyl recording of Irving Berlin's song, 'White Christmas.'" Wearing purple gloves, he held up the round, black artifact disc.

"The song was played repeatedly throughout World War 2, in the U.S. and Britain, and copies were sent overseas to the armed forces. The sound of Bing Crosby singing 'White Christmas' creates an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment in the listener."

From the Farnsworth, Kosan asked, "Will it be powerful enough to counteract the Artifact-Bomb?"

"We hope so," Artie said. "The music has such a powerful effect, we'll have to wear headsets to cover and protect our ears. Likewise with another record artifact." He held up another black vinyl disc.

"The original recording of Winston Churchill's wartime speech, in August 1940 to the House of Commons, is even more powerful. 'Never was so much owed by so many to so few,'" Artie quoted.

"Prime Minister Churchill's words," he said, "and his voice, encouraged the British, and their allies, during the war against the Nazis. England survived the Blitzkrieg air battles, defeated the German Luftwaffe, and prevented an invasion. We hope Churchill's Speech Recording Artifact is powerful enough to counteract the Luftwaffe one more time."

Mrs. Frederic stared at the record in Artie's hands, and said quietly to him, "It would seem we are fighting World War 2 again, although on a much smaller scale."

She heard Mr. Kosan ask, "The Artifact-Bomb container you saw, in the previous timeline, seemed to be made from some indestructible material, correct?"

"We couldn't scratch the container," Artie said, "with a drill, or even a blowtorch."

"You theorized it might be artifact material?" Jane Lattimer asked.

Mrs. Frederic moved to stand beside Artie and spoke into the Farnsworth. "Most likely, it is Artifact-Glass from Al Capone's automobile. In his car, the Chicago gangster survived many shoot-outs with his enemies. Capone's Artifact-Glass was not only bulletproof, but apparently indestructible."

"This Artifact-Glass wasn't in Warehouse 13?" Jane asked.

Mrs. Frederic didn't get a chance to respond.

"No," Artie said, "no one has seen or heard of the Artifact-Glass since World War 2." From an inventory pushcart, he picked up another phonograph box and set it onto the worktable.

Startled, Mrs. Frederic stared at him for a moment in disbelief. _That is inaccurate. Arthur knew about the Artifact-Glass. _She took the Farnsworth in her hand. "We got a ping about the Artifact-Glass," she told the Regents, "in the 1980s, but the trail went cold again." She watched Artie as he stood by the worktable and frowned in thought.

Artie shook his head. "Really?" he asked quietly. "I didn't remember that." He shrugged. "Too busy thinking about the immediate future, I guess."

_It's not like Arthur to forget about an artifact's history. _She studied him for another moment. _Perhaps the events of the past few days have put a greater strain on him than I realized._

From the pushcart, Artie picked up a lightweight storage box and stepped closer to her as she held the Farnsworth. "The good news is," he said to Jane, "we have the Hope Diamond. Once we cut open the container, we should have no trouble dismantling the Artifact-Bomb."

Mrs. Frederic glared at the videoscreen, trying to mask her impatience with the Regents. "The imminent arrival of the Artifact-Bomb presents other pressing security concerns. There are too many Regents inside this Warehouse," she said sternly. "With the recent personnel losses, your safety is imperative. Let me urge you, once again, to leave as soon as possible."

"I think I should stay here." Jane Lattimer held up her arm to show the wide bracelet around her wrist. "The Remati Shackle may be safer inside, and the Warehouse Barrier must be in place as a containment field for that bomb."

_In the previous conflict,_ Mrs. Frederic thought, _we were completely unprepared and understaffed. This time, we seem to be overrun with people and their various plans. _

She tried another approach. "Dr. Calder and her medical team," she said, "should not be here. They would be safer in Univille, out of harm's way, and yet close enough to respond quickly."

"We still have time, before the Barrier is activated," Mr. Kosan said, "to make our preparations. In the meantime, I will assess the personnel assignments and decide who remains here."

_Those of us who remain, _she thought, _understand we may die in the Warehouse. With the Warehouse. _The Pocketwatch she carried in her suit jacket was a small reassurance. _The future is not set in stone. Events have already been changed. We can still change what happens. _

Artie cleared his throat. "Sir, based on our previous experience, I'm going to retrieve the Scarab Artifact from storage. Then, with all due respect, Mr. Kosan, you and the Scarab should leave Warehouse 13, as soon as possible."

_Well done, Arthur_. Staring into the Farnsworth, she gave a nod to Kosan. "In case the bomb explodes again," she said firmly, "you must protect the Scarab and use it to start a new Warehouse."

"Yes, of course," Kosan said. "But due to your experience in the previous timeline, we know what time Black Barti's Cannon will be fired and the Warehouse Barrier will be activated. In the remaining hours, we will ensure we are completely prepared."

The Farnsworth videoscreen went dark. Mrs. Frederic closed the metal box and handed it to Artie.

"Are we?" he asked. "Are we prepared?" He pointed at the objects and boxes on the worktable. "Do you think this will be enough?"

"I don't know," Mrs. Frederic said. "We probably won't know, not until we actually neutralize the Artifact-Bomb. But we have the advanced warning you brought. We still have time."

"Speaking of time," Artie said, "let me ask you, once again, to please consider using the Pocketwatch as a last resort. Please, at least get the Pocketwatch out of the Escher Vault. Just in case."

She stared at him. _I must confide in someone. Arthur did the right thing, using the device to save Warehouse 13. If we face such circumstances again, he would choose wisely._

Mrs. Frederic reached into her suit jacket pocket, took hold of the purple glove and the artifact, and held up the Pocketwatch.

"You," he said, "you kept the artifact? But you went into the Escher Vault to store it." He stared at her, wide-eyed. "What changed your mind?"

She almost smiled. "I think you did, Arthur. I thought about your efforts to save the Warehouse and realized we may need such an extreme measure again." She put the device back into her pocket. "But only as a last resort. No one else can know about the Pocketwatch. No one, Arthur."

He nodded, still staring at her in amazement.

"You and I must be the only ones," she said, "who know. If circumstances make it necessary, the Pocketwatch device must be used only by you, or by me. No one else."

"Last resort," he said. "No one can know." He adjusted his glasses. "Do you know? I mean, do you know, what's going to happen?"

She frowned in thought. "I cannot know what will happen, in the future," she said. "No one can know the future for certain. But you told me what happened in the previous timeline. We know what's possible."

His eyes did not leave her. "But you're worried about the future, worried enough that you condone carrying powerful artifacts."

Mrs. Frederic waited for him to continue.

Artie stared at her, and cleared his throat. "You went into the Escher Vault?"

"Yes," she said slowly.

"And now you're wearing a wide necklace." He pointed at her neck. "I can only see part of it, hidden under your scarf, there. You're wearing a wide jewelry collar, shaped like an Egyptian _usekh_."

She reached up and shifted her scarf to reveal more of the collar and its large locket.

Artie gaped in astonishment. "Is that the Aegis of Athena? You're wearing the Aegis Artifact?"

Mrs. Frederic adjusted her scarf to cover the locket and collar again.

Nervously, he rubbed his beard. "That locket, embedded in the Aegis, is a Gorgoneion. Supposedly, the locket contained the original. Or contained the power of the original. Of the Gorgon. Of Medusa's head."

She glanced down, straightened her suit jacket, and checked the placement of her scarf.

"Does the locket still work?" he asked quietly.

Mrs. Frederic nodded. "Walter Sykes cannot be allowed to destroy Warehouse 13. We will stop him this time."

She heard the heavy outer door of the Cold War Bunker open. They turned to see Leena as she entered the inner room carrying a small box in both her hands.

Leena had been crying, and her voice quivered as she spoke. "I found the storage box for the Hope Diamond, still on the shelf." She shook her head. "The storage box is empty."

"Oh, no." Artie took the box from her and lifted its lid. "The Hope Diamond is gone?"

Inside the small storage box, the jewel-shaped setting was empty. Only a small piece of paper with a bit of writing remained.

Arthur read the single word on the handwritten note. "Hopeless."

Mrs. Frederic sighed in frustration. "MacPherson. MacPherson stole the Diamond from the Warehouse."

"He hypnotized me," Leena said bitterly. "I probably stole it for him, with all those other artifacts."

Artie closed the box and patted Leena on the arm. "This is not your fault. You were never at fault."

"MacPherson is responsible," Mrs. Frederic said. "He manipulated us. He used all of us."

"But if you don't have the Hope Diamond," Leena asked, "how will you open the Artifact-Bomb container?"

Artie and Leena watched Mrs. Frederic for an answer.

Her thoughts raced. _Arthur described a huge wave of flames. Warehouse 13 was reduced to ashes. _She clasped her hands tightly. _No. The Warehouse must survive._

"I don't know," she said finally.


	46. Ch 46

**Author's Note:** **IF you have NOT read** chapters 43, 44 & 45 already, you may want to go back and read the important information they reveal.  
**IF you are NEW** to this story, do NOT start here! Go back to chapter 22, or chapter 32, at least :)

* * *

"Wake up." Myka studied her partner as he slept in his airplane seat. She poked his shoulder again. "Pete, wake up."

He didn't open his eyes, but frowned and turned his head. "Is it about Claudia? She's in more danger, isn't she?"

"Did you get a bad vibe?" Myka asked.

He nodded and rubbed his eyes.

"Just now?" she asked.

"No. Back at the B&B, remember? Before we left, as we stood in the hallway, I had a bad vibe about her." He shifted in his seat and squinted at Myka.

"Your bad vibes are on the mark, as always," she said. "Claudia just called, and, yes, I think she's in danger. Claudia has a backup plan that I don't agree with. A plan that you're really going to disagree with."

Pete yawned. "OK, give me the bad news."

"She told me she made an artifact swap, right there in the Warehouse office," Myka said. "The bottom line is, now Claudia has the Pocketwatch Artifact."

For a moment, he just stared at her. "So that's what she was hiding."

"Hiding? When?"

"That's why Claudia carried all that stuff out to her car. With all her supplies, she planned to hide out in the Warehouse," he said. "The idea of her needing all that food distracted me, almost. But I'll bet she stashed the Pocketwatch in that cooler full of food."

Myka looked at him thoughtfully. "You figured all this out while you were sleeping?"

"If I say yes, will you let me go back to sleep?"

"Pete!" she said.

"What?" he asked. "We're stuck on this plane. It's not like we can snag the Pocketwatch back from Claudia now."

"Claudia needs our help, and we're not there to protect her. I hate being stuck on this airplane. I hate it." She sighed in frustration. "I made her promise not to use the Pocketwatch alone. She promised to wait for me to go with her."

Myka glanced at him. "Claudia wanted me to promise not to tell anyone about the Pocketwatch, not even Artie. But I'm the one who made the new rule about 'no more secrets.' I told her I would tell you."

Pete shook his head. "No one will use the Pocketwatch again, because we won't need to. This time we save Warehouse 13. This time, no one dies. And we know what to do, right?" He yawned. "So can I go back to sleep now?"

"No," she said reluctantly. "I have more to tell you, about what might happen in this timeline, and what will probably happen in the Regent Sanctum."

"More bad news?" he asked.

"Between now and when we save the day," Myka said, "things get worse."

* * *

To clear their heads and walk off some of Artie's nervous energy, Mrs. Frederic and he went through Warehouse 13 in search of Claudia. Following Artie's educated guess, they arrived at the entrance of the Dead Agent Archive and found one of the archived rooms opened.

Standing at the computer console, Artie pointed at the screen information. "Steve's room."

Mrs. Frederic nodded and walked toward the entrance, and Artie followed her. Inside the connecting hallway, light shone from the open door to Steve's room.

While still in the hallway, she stopped suddenly when she heard voices. Immediately, she put her arm up to stop Artie and signalled him to be quiet.

_Claudia is not alone, _she thought. _She's talking with someone._

Artie frowned at her when he recognized the male voice with the British accent. He pointed at the open doorway.

Mrs. Frederic shook her head. _MacPherson's ghost followed Claudia. He wants something from her. I want to hear what he's working on. _

The voices from the archived bedroom grew louder.

"Don't you see," MacPherson asked, "how Agent Jinks was endangered so needlessly? Sent by Mrs. Frederic, on a mission, all alone. Her poor judgment cost Steve his life. Such a tragic waste. All for nothing."

"No," Claudia said loudly, "you're wrong. Steve saved my life on that mission. He probably saved all our lives."

"Is that what Mrs. Frederic told you?" he asked. "Poor young Claudia. Not even a full agent yet, and already following orders so naively, so blindly. Neither Mrs. Frederic nor the Regents cared anything about Agent Jinks."

_Even in death, MacPherson hates the Warehouse enough to abuse its agents,_ Mrs. Frederic thought.

"Do not be so foolish," MacPherson said, "to believe they care about your safety, either. Agents are merely temporary employees, and are easily replaced."

"No," Claudia said, "no one can replace Steve. I can bring him back."

_What does Claudia mean?_ Mrs. Frederic wondered.

"Of course," MacPherson said slowly, "you have a brilliant mind, and you're extremely resourceful. My dear Claudia, I suspect you have a plan, don't you?"

"Get out of this room," Claudia shouted. "Get out!"

"Whatever it is you're planning," MacPherson said cheerfully, "don't tell anyone at the Warehouse. You have only yourself to rely on."

_I've heard enough of his lies. _Mrs. Frederic walked through the doorway into the room and glared at MacPherson's life-sized but non-solid image. "I ordered you to leave Warehouse 13," she said sternly.

She glanced at Claudia's face and noted her bitter expression. In contrast to her long black coat and black clothes, Claudia carried a large, mostly-white, plastic toy gun, with a thin strap attached that slung over her shoulder.

MacPherson smirked at Mrs. Frederic. "I decided I'd stay a while longer. Claudia could benefit greatly from my experience and advice."

Claudia raised her plastic gun and aimed it at MacPherson's ghost. From the gun spouted a purple stream of liquid. As the liquid stream of Neutralizer reached him, his image dissipated. Suddenly, MacPherson was gone.

For a moment, Mrs. Frederic and Artie stared at the empty space. They turned to look at Claudia.

"Now we know," Claudia said, "the Purple Goo works for neutralizing ghosts."

Claudia's Farnsworth rang. She shifted the messenger bag slung over her shoulder and retrieved the small metallic box.

Mrs. Frederic glanced at Artie. "I doubt MacPherson is gone permanently."

"That would be too easy," Artie said.

From the Farnsworth, Myka asked, "Claudia, are you OK? Where are you?"

"I'm fine," she said. "Just doing a bit of pest control."

Artie stood beside her. "Claudia opened up Steve's room, but MacPherson followed her."

Mrs. Frederic studied Claudia's face, trying to gauge her mood. "Why did you think it necessary to open the Dead Agent Archive?"

Claudia glanced at Mrs. Frederic, but spoke to Myka. "I wanted another photo of Steve. I snagged the old photo of him with his sister. I wanted more proof, more evidence of Steve's life. Positive proof."

"Why was MacPherson's ghost following you?" Myka asked.

"He must have seen what Claudia was doing," Artie said, "opening up a room in the Archive. He saw an opportunity to interfere, to take advantage of the situation."

Mrs. Frederic added, "MacPherson's intentions are still malevolent, and he is still actively trying to manipulate us. He tried to manipulate Claudia, even at this most vulnerable time."

"Vulnerable," Myka said. "Claudia is vulnerable. That's it," she shouted from the Farnsworth. "That's the connection."

Claudia and Artie looked at each other in confusion.

"MacPherson took advantage," Myka said. "He preyed on them when they were vulnerable. Because he _knew _they were vulnerable. That's the connection. Their files in the Warehouse database were tagged with Genius tags and with yellow caution tags for discontented victims. MacPherson read their files, and targeted them because of their vulnerability."

"They? Who are you talking about?" Artie asked.

"Claudia. Walter Sykes. Joshua and then Claudia. Helena." From the Farnsworth, Myka called out loudly, "Mrs. Frederic!"

Mrs. Frederic stepped closer to the Farnsworth held by Claudia.

"Mrs. Frederic," Myka said, "please, you've got to open up Helena's room in the Dead Agent Archive. Helena's old bedroom, from Atlas House, in London. I think we'll find more evidence in Helena's old room."

"Evidence of what?" Artie asked.

From his hand, Mrs. Frederic took the Farnsworth and answered, "MacPherson is playing the Long Game."

* * *

Mrs. Frederic, Artie, and Claudia entered the elegant wood-paneled bedroom from H.G. Wells's London home.

Myka explained through the Farnsworth, "MacPherson was involved in all these cases: Joshua Donovan's experiment with the Rheticus Compass Artifact, Claudia's plan to break into Warehouse 13 and take Artie, and Walter Sykes's obsession with recapturing the Collodi Bracelet Artifact."

"MacPherson Debronzed H.G.," Claudia said, "and set her up with artifacts, too."

"Yes," Myka said, "and now we know why he Debronzed her. We knew all these cases had similarities, because they involved MacPherson. But now, I'm convinced they're connected because of MacPherson himself. He chose Joshua, and then Claudia, he targeted them, because they were geniuses and because he could take advantage of their vulnerabilities."

"What are we looking for, here in H.G.'s room?" Claudia asked.

"Helena told us she kept a diary," Myka said. "If she kept her diary through her last days as a Warehouse 12 agent, right up to when she was Bronzed, then her fragile and vulnerable state of mind will be obvious."

Claudia stood at the large wooden desk and opened its upper drawers. From the right-side drawer, she removed a hardbound book. "I don't want to be the one to read it."

Artie took the diary. "I'll start at the last page." He opened the book and found the last entry. "Yes, she wrote about the Regents' agreement, to have her Bronzed." He skimmed the previous pages. "She was distraught about not being able to bring back Christina. She disagreed vehemently with the Warehouse policies against using, or experimenting, with artifacts."

"MacPherson read Helena's personnel file," Myka said through the Farnsworth, "and found her diary. He chose to Debronze Helena because he thought he could turn her disagreement with the Regents into an alliance with him and his own plans."

Claudia held the Farnsworth as she and Artie turned to look at Mrs. Frederic.

She nodded. "That would explain a great deal. MacPherson used his apparently limitless access to classified Warehouse files to target and manipulate Agent Wells, and the others, for his own ends."

"What if that's the connection," Myka asked, "between Sykes now, and the old case of Young Walter Sykes? MacPherson was a field agent on the case 30 years ago. Is it possible that he set up the boy with an artifact? Is it possible that MacPherson was the one who gave the Collodi Bracelet to Young Walter Sykes in the first place?"

Artie took the Farnsworth in his hand. "No," he said, "no one had seen Collodi's Bracelet in over 100 years. We had no idea where the artifact was."

Mrs. Frederic gaped at him in astonishment. _Arthur knows Warehouse 13 got a ping on the Bracelet in the 1980s. He even went to Italy to search for the artifact. How can Arthur not remember?_

Mrs. Frederic stepped toward Artie and snatched the Farnsworth from his hand. "Yes," she said grimly. "Yes, Agent Bering, your theory is quite possible."


	47. Ch 47

As Helena slept, she dreamed she was in London, walking alongside Agent Wolcott. As they walked down Baker Street among a bustling crowd, Wolcott chatted happily about the publication of the newest Sherlock Holmes story. It was 1892, and her friend, Mr. Doyle, and his fascinating detective had long careers ahead of them, undoubtedly.

Wolcott had just purchased the newest issue of _The Strand Magazine_ for Caturanga. Their teacher took great delight in analyzing these fictional cases as thoroughly as any artifact mission. Each publication of another _Strand _story became an event in the Warehouse office. According to their current custom, Caturanga directed Helena and Wolcott to read the story aloud, so they might hear and solve the case together.

As Helena and her partner walked along the noisy street, the sounds of other people talking grew louder. Helena strained to hear Wolcott's cheery banter. Wolcott could hardly wait to read Sherlock's latest adventure.

_Strange, _she thought, _that I should feel homesick, when we are on our way back to the Warehouse. And why should I miss Caturanga so greatly? I see him practically every day._ Helena realized she could hardly wait to return to Warehouse 12, to return home.

Near them in the busy street, a man's voice grew louder and angrier. _An ill-tempered man, _she thought, _is unwise to conduct his business publicly, in the street. _

The loud man asked, "What? Empty?"

Helena woke up.

She shifted in her airplane seat and the book she hugged against her slipped into her lap. _Airplane, _she thought bitterly. _Sykes._

Across the cabin, she saw Sykes, who sat in his wheelchair and shouted into his mobile phone.

"The Bed and Breakfast is completely empty?" he asked. "Where's the innkeeper?"

_Sykes is unhappy with Marcus's report,_ she thought.

"So, no one's home," Sykes said into his phone. "That's disappointing, but not an obstacle. How many cannonballs do you have? What about gunpowder and fuses?"

_Sykes sent Marcus to Univille, with a cannon,_ Helena remembered. _Clearly he means to attack Warehouse 13. But if Sykes plans such an attack today, in South Dakota, why is he travelling to Hong Kong?_

"I've been preparing for this day," Sykes said to Marcus, "and now it's finally here. Might as well start ahead of schedule. As soon as possible, fire the cannon."

* * *

Mrs. Frederic hurried through the aisles of Warehouse 13. Agent Nielsen had been furious to learn of MacPherson's long-ago success in tampering with his memories. From their meeting in the Dead Agent Archive, Arthur had left abruptly.

_Undoubtedly, Arthur is hard at work,_ she thought. _But all the same, I will feel better when I see for myself that he's all right._

She approached a small brick building containing one of the Neutralizer Pump Stations. The pump had already been turned on, and she could hear only the loud churning sound it made. Walking around the building, she turned the corner and found Artie frowning at some gauges on the exterior control panel.

_Now would not be a good time to surprise him with my arrival,_ she thought. _I'll wait until he's finished._

From the control panel, Artie walked over to the large hydrant next to the open space in the Warehouse flooring. The drainage ducts had been uncovered to serve as aqueducts carrying Neutralizer throughout Warehouse 13.

With several attempts and much effort, Artie rotated the large steering-wheel to open the valve. At the end of the duct, from the pipe opening, a purple waterfall of Neutralizer poured out. The gushing sound joined the steady churning of the Neutralizer Pump Station. Artie stood for a moment and watched the Purple Goo flowing into the aqueduct.

He turned around, walked toward the Pump Station, caught sight of Mrs. Frederic, and stopped suddenly. Over the noisy pump, they could not hear one another, and he pointed for them to walk farther away.

They reached a staircase and climbed the steps up onto the metal framework of a small bridge. Underneath them flowed the canal of purple Neutralizer.

"The North-South aqueduct is already filled," Artie said. "In the meantime, the Neutralizer Processing Center has been running full speed." He turned and pointed. "So the East-West aqueduct won't take as much time to fill up. You can tell Mr. Kosan, you've succeeded in your plan for the limited flooding of Warehouse 13 with Purple Goo."

"Why don't you call Mr. Kosan yourself?" she asked.

Artie scowled. "I'm not exactly in the mood to report my continued failure to the Regents."

"Failure?" she asked. "Quite the contrary, Arthur, you are a successful agent, one of the best. Soon you will succeed in preventing the destruction of Warehouse 13."

"You're being kind," he said. "But as MacPherson loved to remind me, he was much smarter than me. And today, I got another painful reminder that he will always be the smartest."

"MacPherson was not our smartest agent," she said sternly. "I agree, he was brilliant. But he was also manipulative and deceitful in the extreme. His elaborate schemes and his criminal achievements only appear superior, superficially, because they were shocking and flagrant."

Mrs. Frederic studied his bitter expression and the tired slump of his shoulders. "Do not let these temporary circumstances fool you," she said. "You are just as intelligent as he, but with the integrity and the generous heart of a truly great man. So please do not compare yourself against James MacPherson ever again."

Artie gaped at her for a moment. Shyly, he mumbled his thanks and straightened his dark jacket.

"By the way," she said, "it was Kuleshov's Movie Projector."

Artie's eyes widened. "The Kuleshov Effect, of course." He spoke animatedly now. "MacPherson used the artifact to edit my memories, like a film editor puts together camera shots. Different shots, in a different order, redirect and alter the audience's perception, their interpretation, of what they're seeing."

From the bridge, Mrs. Frederic walked down the metal stairs and Artie followed her back onto the Warehouse floor. "With Kuleshov's Artifact," she said, "MacPherson made you forget small amounts of information, and you suffered no other side-effects. That's why we didn't realize what had happened until you tried to remember that specific information."

She paused to look at him. "Since she's here, I talked to Dr. Calder. With a few tests, she thinks she can assess how much of your memory was erased."

Artie shook his head. "Not now. We don't have time." He stepped forward and they walked further through the aisles of inventory. "Dr. Calder, and her medical team, need to leave the Warehouse. It's too dangerous for them to be here."

He turned, walked up an aisle, and searched the shelves until he found what he was looking for. From his jacket, he brought out purple gloves and put them on. With both hands, he lifted a small box from the shelf, careful to hold the box lid firmly. "I'll take this Scarab Artifact directly to Mr. Kosan, and put it right into his hands. Maybe that will encourage him to leave Warehouse 13 immediately."

"I'd prefer the Regents move out of harm's way," she said, "and out of our way, as well. We have enough work to do without any more interruptions. My focus must be on the inventory and what means we might employ to neutralize the Artifact-Bomb."

Artie nodded. "Your mental database is crucial. We only recognized my memory loss because you were present. You had, we had, your memory as a reference point."

Mrs. Frederic led the way as they walked back through the aisles. "Leena checked the case notes and artifact files for Collodi's Bracelet and for Al Capone's Artifact-Glass. Their file information has been altered."

"MacPherson altered the Warehouse files to cover his tracks." Artie looked at her. "No doubt he was thorough when he altered the files. Then you would be the only one who remembers. The only one who knows the truth."

"We may never know," she said, "how much MacPherson accomplished in his plans to sabotage the Warehouse. But even in death, he's still working to harm us." Mrs. Frederic walked alongside the shelves in search of another artifact.

"How do we get rid of him, once and for all?" he asked.

Mrs. Frederic stopped in front of the Artifact ID screen. She sighed tiredly as she put on a purple glove. "Our working theory is that MacPherson's presence must be related somehow to his previous use of the Phoenix. As with any other artifact, we must find a way to neutralize it."

She picked up the small wooden box and raised its lid. Inside sat the bronze-colored medallion depicting the legendary bird rising from the ashes.

Artie frowned at the Phoenix medallion. "Neutralize it. Or undo its effects. Or turn it off. And then crush the blasted thing into little pieces."

Looking up from the box, Mrs. Frederic arched one of her eyebrows, but she did not disagree.

Artie's Farnsworth rang. Carefully, he set the Scarab's box on the shelf in front of them.

From the Farnsworth screen, Mr. Kosan asked, "Agent Nielsen, please give me an update."

"The East-West aqueduct is filling with Neutralizer," Artie said. "That much Neutralizer, running the length and width of the Warehouse, should work as a buffer and lessen the force of an explosion, if the Artifact-Bomb does go off."

"What about Agent Donovan's current location?" Kosan asked. "Don't you think she would be safer if she left the Warehouse in protective custody?"

Artie glanced at the box containing the Scarab. "Frankly, sir, you are the one who needs to leave the Warehouse. I've retrieved the Scarab Artifact, and I'm on my way back to the office now."

Suddenly, the floor beneath them shifted violently. As a strong tremor shook Warehouse 13, a loud boom thundered from the ceiling. Immediately the alarms sounded and the system warning lights flashed their red signals.

The tremor tumbled Mrs. Frederic and Artie onto the floor as boxes and artifacts crashed around them. The small box containing the Scarab slipped from the shelf, hit the floor, and its lid came off. The green amulet, shaped like a beetle, fell out of its storage box.

With the strong jolt, Mrs. Frederic lost her hold on the Phoenix's container. The medallion flew out of its box and she heard it clink against something else in the shelves.

"The Scarab!" Artie shouted as he struggled to his feet. "If the Scarab gets loose, we'll never catch it."

Mrs. Frederic turned to see the awakened beetle flex its wings and start to crawl on the floor.

"It's too early." Artie reached down for the Scarab, but it moved away from him. "Black Barti's Cannon. The Warehouse Barrier has been activated early."

The beetle skittered away, and Artie chased it, but it swerved and ran under the shelves. "Sykes is changing the timeline," he shouted.

Momentarily, she turned back to search the floor around her. _The Phoenix cannot have gone far. _Among the other objects that had fallen off the shelves and onto the Warehouse floor, she could not see the artifact medallion.

As Artie left the aisle, he called loudly, "It's too early."

_I'll deal with the Phoenix later, _Mrs. Frederic thought. _If Warehouse 13 is lost, the survivors must have the Scarab. _

Hearing Arthur's shouts, she hurried to follow him. At the end of the aisle, the red warning light flashed. _Walter Sykes has changed his schedule, _she thought. _This is most alarming._


	48. Ch 48

Myka closed her Farnsworth and exhaled slowly.

"What did Artie say about the Barrier?" Pete asked.

From her airplane seat, she looked up at him. "I didn't talk to Artie. Claudia says he's trying to catch the Scarab Artifact. It got loose in the Warehouse."

"How is he going to catch the Scarab without Trailer?" He stood in the aisle and shifted on his feet.

She shrugged. "The good news is, they're still tracking the plane and Sykes hasn't landed in Hong Kong yet. We still have time."

"But Sykes fired the cannon early. He activated the Warehouse Barrier early." He shook his head. "Bad news."

"True," she said. "But Claudia already set up security cameras, so they can monitor the Portal when people start coming through."

Pete shifted on his feet again. "The Portal, our Stargate to the Regent Sanctum, is the only way in or out of Warehouse 13. My mom is trapped inside again, plus Leena and Dr. Vanessa, and all those other people. Trapped in the Warehouse, with a bomb. This timeline is getting worse, isn't it?"

"Artie and Mrs. Frederic set up the Bunker with counter-measures," Myka said. "This time we're prepared to deal with the Artifact-Bomb."

"OK," he pointed at her, "but before that, we have to survive the Scary Sanctum." Pete shook his head quickly. "I do not want H.G. to hold a gun to your head."

"Helena didn't want to, either," she said. "She was terrified. Sykes used DeMille's Crop to make her do it, to make you do things, too."

Pete grimaced. "I do not want to point a gun at my own mother. I don't want to hit Artie in the head. Myka, I can't do that."

"You didn't do that," she said firmly. "Sykes did all that." She sighed. "Maybe this time, in the Warehouse, the confrontation with Artie can be minimized. Maybe the sooner Sykes gets the Collodi Bracelet, the sooner we can separate him from his wheelchair and snag the Artifact-Bomb."

He sat down in the seat beside her. "How do we know this timeline will end up better than before?"

"Because." Myka paused, her mind racing in search of an encouraging answer. "Because Claudia filled those waterguns with Purple Goo. When we get home, you get a new gun."

"Goo Guns." Pete arched one of his eyebrows. "Practical, portable, and awesome. Claudia is the best supply sergeant ever. Plus, she snagged Excalibur."

Myka stifled a laugh. "No, she didn't. Claudia mentioned Excalibur when she saw it in the inventory. No swords today."

"I would carry Excalibur," he said, "just in case. Swords are cool."

From her messenger bag, Myka retrieved the stacks of paper files. "This time," she said, "we've learned much more about Sykes and how this crisis happened. This time we learned that MacPherson Debronzed Helena to make her a pawn in his game against the Warehouse." She rubbed her forehead. "We know much more about MacPherson's plans."

"He set up Joshua with the Compass Artifact when Josh was a college student," Pete said. "I still think about that sometimes. You and I stood in the lab at the university, with the dimensional lights or whatever swirling around us, and waited for Artie and Claudia to reappear."

"MacPherson set up Sykes with the Collodi Bracelet when he was just a boy," she said. "Why did he give such dangerous artifacts to young people? How could MacPherson do that?"

"Yeah," he said slowly, "makes you wonder."

Myka sorted through the papers, looking for one of her notes. "Wonder what?"

"About the others," he said.

She frowned. "Others?"

"Other people," Pete said. "People we haven't discovered yet, who were set up with artifacts from MacPherson."

* * *

On the floor of Warehouse 13, the green Scarab stood still. Only a few inches away from the large beetle, purple Neutralizer flowed through the wide aqueduct in the floor.

From her vantage point behind some shelves, Mrs. Frederic glanced down at her open Farnsworth. "We hope the canal of Neutralizer functions as a barrier," she said to Mr. Kosan.

"Shhh," Artie whispered loudly.

Mrs. Frederic looked up. Ahead of her, Artie and Claudia stood behind the last shelving unit before the open floorspace along the aqueduct.

Across the aisle from them, in the corresponding row, Dr. Vanessa Calder stood behind the shelf, holding a large plastic watergun.

Artie held a watergun, too, and over his wrist, he wore a roll of duct tape. In one hand, Claudia held the handle of a large blue plastic cooler, and in her other hand, its lid.

Mrs. Frederic realized Artie was scowling at her. She closed her Farnsworth and gave him a nod.

From their positions on either side of the wide aisle, Artie and Vanessa formed a triangle with the Scarab at the head, about 12 feet away. They aimed their plastic guns at the beetle, and Vanessa nodded to him.

Mrs. Frederic held her breath. _If a new Warehouse is needed, we must have the Scarab. _

Briefly, the Scarab flickered one of its wings, but remained standing near the aqueduct.

Claudia spoke quietly. "Ready, set, go."

From their guns, Artie and Vanessa shot steady streams of Purple Goo directly onto the Scarab. Carrying the blue cooler, Claudia dashed toward the beetle.

Artie and Vanessa took a few steps toward the Scarab and kept it doused with Neutralizer. They stopped just as Claudia reached the inert beetle. She slammed down the plastic cooler, covering the Scarab. Quickly, she slid the cooler's lid underneath, boxing in the beetle.

Artie stood beside Claudia. "Ready?" he asked.

Carefully holding the cooler shut, Claudia tipped it up onto one end. Artie wrapped duct tape around the end of the cooler, then its middle, encircling it several times.

_The Scarab is secure,_ Mrs. Frederic thought. _If only we could contain all the imminent dangers so securely._ She glanced toward a nearby red light that flashed its warning. _The Warehouse Barrier serves as our container. But we are inside._

Vanessa approached them as Claudia stood up and handed Artie the cooler. "Nicely done," Vanessa said. "I knew Claudia made improvements to the Teslas." She held up the plastic watergun. "But now you have Purple Goo Guns, too?" Vanessa smiled at them. "I'm seriously tempted to return to fieldwork."

Artie opened his mouth to speak, but a loud bump from inside the cooler startled him. "See?" he said. "The Neutralizer's effect on the Scarab was short-lived."

Claudia pointed at the aqueduct. "The Scarab waited, like he couldn't go any farther. Do you think the Purple Goo prevented him from flying across the aqueduct?"

They turned to look at Mrs. Frederic.

"So it would seem," she said.

Artie hugged the cooler tightly as the Scarab bumped against the walls of its container. "I'm surprised MacPherson isn't here, taunting us."

"And haunting us." Claudia glanced around. "Can you sense him, Mrs. Frederic? Is MacPherson still hanging around?"

In the chaos, Mrs. Frederic had forgotten about the ghostly intruder. "No," she said slowly. "I don't sense him nearby." She searched down the aisle, but saw nothing.

"If the Neutralizer disrupts his ghostliness," Claudia said, "maybe MacPherson is avoiding the aqueducts. Maybe the Purple Goo stopped him, like it stopped the Scarab."

Mrs. Frederic scanned along the edge of the aqueduct in one direction, then the other. _Despite all the activity and commotion, MacPherson is absent. Strange._

"Let's hope the Neutralizer limits his ability to roam," Artie said. "We don't need him following us everywhere."

"I doubt MacPherson will leave us in peace," Mrs. Frederic said.

Artie sighed. "We'll take the Scarab to Mr. Kosan. But I'm not sure how we can protect this artifact, or the Regents, under the circumstances."

Claudia and Vanessa replied, but Mrs. Frederic ignored their conversation as she turned back to stare at the aqueduct filled with purple liquid.

_Why can't I sense him watching us?_ She searched for signs of movement among the rows of shelves. _Where is MacPherson?_

* * *

Helena turned the page and read the opening lines of another short story about Sherlock Holmes. At home on Baker Street, Holmes and Dr. Watson read over the newspapers when suddenly, a stranger called on them. _The arrival of a new client, and the introduction of some troubling incident, _she thought, _present another puzzle only Sherlock Holmes can solve._

Across the airplane cabin, Sykes sat reading information from the screen of his laptop.

At the sound of the door opening, Sykes picked up the DeMille Crop.

"Mr. Sykes!" Tyler entered carrying his open laptop.

Sykes frowned at the young man. "You've decrypted the file?"

"Only one part," Tyler said. "But that's just the beginning."

"I need the information in that file," Sykes said grimly.

"Yes, I'm still working on it," he said quickly, "but this one part is really important. It's the personnel file with the codename Odysseus-74. I decrypted the page with the ID information."

"I'll decide what's important," Sykes said.

Tyler nodded. "It's a huge lead." He handed his laptop to Sykes. "It's that girl's brother. The file is about Joshua Donovan."

_Donovan? _Helena thought. _Claudia has a brother? _

She tried to recall the brief time she spent working with Claudia, at Warehouse 13. But what resurfaced were her feelings of despair and anger. The strongest voice in those earliest memories was that of her emancipator from the Bronze Sector. With a mixture of poisonous words and persuasion, James MacPherson set her onto a deadly path.

Helena shook her head to bring herself back to the present. _No, _she thought, _it would be unwise to revisit my own turbulent memories. And quite unhelpful in this crisis._

"Joshua Donovan," Sykes said. "Physicist at CERN." He nodded at Tyler. "Keep working. If you can decrypt the entire file by the time we get to Hong Kong, you'll get a bonus. How about $100,000?"

Tyler smiled. "Yes!" He took the laptop and ran from the cabin.

Sykes retrieved his mobile phone. "Marcus," he said. "Have you found anyone?" He paused. "Well, if they're all at the Warehouse, they're trapped now."

_Trapped inside Warehouse 13?_ Helena thought. _Previously he __mentioned_ a cannon.  


"Good news," Sykes said to Marcus. "If we can't acquire Agent Donovan, I think I've found an alternative. She has a brother, Joshua. He's a physicist, working at CERN. After I close this deal from Hong Kong, we'll head to Geneva and offer Joshua Donovan a lucrative business opportunity."

She hugged her book, wishing she could not hear him. _Sykes would make all of us pawns in his terrible game._

"Hold on," Sykes said as he shifted in his chair. "It bothers me that the Bed & Breakfast is empty."

"Look around the house and the garage," he said into the phone. "Find some accelerant." He nodded. "Yes, start a fire in the house. I want to give Jane Lattimer a preview." He smirked. "Burn down their house."


	49. Ch 49

**Author's Note:**  
Ch. 49 posted today, **Monday, **Feb. 4_  
_Ch. 50 will be posted **Tuesday,** Feb. 5_  
_

* * *

_I hate being stuck on this airplane. _Myka took another tissue and wiped her eyes. _I hate it._

"Pete, wake up," she said hoarsely.

With his face still buried in his pillow, he groaned. "More bad news?"

"Yes," she said, "did you get a bad vibe in your sleep?"

He shifted in his seat to squint at her. "No, just a mildly bad dream." His eyes widened. "Hey, why are you crying? Is Claudia OK?"

She nodded. "She's OK. Everyone is still safe, for the moment. But the B&B." She paused. "Marcus set fire to the Bed & Breakfast."

"Fire? He burned down our house?" Pete stared at her. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face. "Oh, man."

_The B&B is gone,_ she thought. _What if more events go badly? Will we even survive, this time? _

"We thought we could fix everything." Myka wiped another tear away. "This timeline was supposed to turn out better."

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "It will. Everything will turn out fine, in the end. We will fix everything." He tilted his head. "Almost everything. But I know we can do this."

She tried to smile. "Is it your turn to be the voice of encouragement?"

Pete nodded. "Losing the B&B is another surprise. It's also scary. But this time, the house was empty when Marcus arrived. Leena and Mrs. Frederic were not in danger. That's an important improvement over the previous timeline, right?"

"Yes, we used the Pocketwatch for time travel, so we could save more people," she said.

"Exactly. That's what you and I are working on," he said. "We'll stop Sykes so he can't hurt anyone else. This will all be over soon."

_Soon Sykes will be dead. But until he's dead, this timeline feels like a nightmare. _Myka crossed her arms tightly. "You said you had a bad dream. What was it about?"

"A memory, actually. You and I were standing in the old laboratory at the university. We caught up with Artie and Claudia, but they had already restarted Joshua's teleportation experiment. We stood there with the lights swirling around us."

"You mentioned that scene earlier," she said.

"All that dimensional turbulence swirling around the room," he said, "was loud and really memorable. We waited for Artie and Claudia to reappear. When we saw them again, they brought Joshua and the Compass with them."

_I saw that memory, too, in my dream,_ she thought. "You didn't see Mrs. Frederic in your dream, did you?"

"Nope, no Mrs. F, and no message," he said. "But we know that's what she was talking about in her dream-message to you."

She furrowed her brow. "What about her message?"

"_Back to the beginning. Find Claudia and Joshua_," he quoted. "Mrs. Frederic was talking about Josh's experiment, with the Rheticus Compass."

_The Compass was the beginning?_ Myka stared at him. "Artie met Claudia and Joshua, 14 years ago, because Joshua had a dangerous artifact."

"That was the beginning," he said, "the beginning of their association with Artie, and with artifacts."

"And with Warehouse 13." She studied his face in amazement. "Did you figure this out while you were sleeping?"

Pete shrugged. "I thought it was obvious. Mrs. Frederic's message was pretty specific."

Myka's head felt a bit like it was swirling in her jumbled thoughts. "OK, but how is the message relevant right now? Sykes is attacking us, not MacPherson. Sykes is carrying the Artifact-Bomb, not the Compass. And Claudia is safe, with Artie."

"That's true. Maybe the message isn't for today, exactly." He paused.

"What?" she asked.

"What about Joshua?"

She looked at him quizzically.

"Do we know that Joshua safe?" he asked. "Where is Joshua?"

Myka's pulse sped up. "With everything else going on, I didn't think about Joshua." She grabbed the Farnsworth, pressed the comm button, and shouted, "Artie!"

* * *

Mrs. Frederic arrived outside the entrance to the old Warehouse hospital at the same time Dr. Calder and Leena each steered a pushcart of supplies toward the door.

"Claudia has been shocked a second time by Steve's death," Leena said to the doctor. "She has no intention of letting Steve go. And now her house burned down. How is she supposed to cope with all this?"

Mrs. Frederic opened the door for them and they steered their pushcarts into a short hallway. They entered the first door on the left, which opened into a large room with hospital beds along one wall.

"We can leave this here for now," Vanessa said. "Thank you."

Leena held up a tall thermos. "I brought enough soup for all of you. Claudia needs to eat something."

Vanessa took the thermos and held out her other hand. "Will you let me try? I want to talk to Claudia."

Leena handed her another thermos. "Good luck," she said softly. "You'll need it." She nodded at Mrs. Frederic and left.

Mrs. Frederic followed Vanessa into the hallway, but waited in the doorway as the doctor entered the next room.

In this room, Claudia stood by the wall in front of an opened electrical panel. "All your diagnostic machines are plugged in, and the power is on," she said. "I think you're all set." Claudia picked up the metal cover and closed it over the panel.

"I appreciate all your help," Vanessa said. "This is great. Thank you."

"Just don't mention the name of the madman, please," Claudia said bitterly. "I know you're a doctor and you're sworn to help everyone. But your new patient, he's totally evil. And, by the way, he's on his way to blow up the Warehouse with all of us inside."

Claudia sighed tiredly. "Sorry. You said 'thank you.' Now I say, 'you're welcome.'"

"Understood," Vanessa said gently.

"I knew you had some clinic space, up by the office," Claudia said. "I didn't know the Warehouse had its own hospital out here on the main floor." She glanced toward Mrs. Frederic. "Yet another important location that I learned about only today. Important rooms and features hidden inside Warehouse 13, where I work, every day."

"The hospital unit was closed up more than 10 years ago," Vanessa said.

"You know what else was closed up? Under the floor?" Claudia asked. "A large reservoir of Purple Goo. I just learned about it today, looking at a map of the Warehouse. Before that, a long time ago, the reservoir was a huge aquarium."

"The old Aquarium," Vanessa smiled. "I'd forgotten all about that."

"You know about the aquarium?"

Vanessa nodded. "I worked here, a long time ago, remember?"

"That's right," Claudia said. "Then maybe you could answer my questions."

"I can try. What do you have questions about?" Vanessa asked.

Claudia put one hand on top of her head, then let it drop. "Everything," she said. "I have a million questions, but the answers are Top Secret. Then, as it turns out, some of the questions are classified, too, so I don't even know what questions to ask."

Vanessa waited for the young woman to continue.

Claudia glanced toward the doorway, where Mrs. Frederic stood silently.

"Here's a question," Claudia said. "How old is Mrs. Frederic?"

"I'm sorry," Vanessa said, "but you must realize I can't answer that."

"Because it's classified."

"Because as her doctor, and for my patient's privacy, I cannot disclose her age," Vanessa said. "Also," she said quietly, "it's impolite to ask a lady about her age."

Claudia looked away and crossed her arms self-consciously.

"However, I could tell you about the old Aquarium," Vanessa said, trying to sound upbeat. "Don't you want to ask me about the creature?"

"You know?" Claudia asked in genuine surprise. "How do you know about the Loch Ness Monster?"

"Because I worked on that mission." Vanessa picked up a thermos and handed it to Claudia. "Here's your soup." She picked up the other thermos, and shook her head. "That crazy mission was almost a complete disaster. Almost. I'm still amazed the poor creature survived our attempts to save it."

Vanessa paused. She poured some soup into the thermos cup and took a sip.

Claudia glanced toward Mrs. Frederic and back to Vanessa. "I know a little about the Loch Ness Monster. This is the part where you say, you can't tell me much, because the case is classified."

"No," Vanessa said, "but it's a really long story. I'm trying to organize a short version in my head." She took another sip of soup. "Also, you have to promise me not to hack into the old casefiles."

Claudia nodded. "Because they're classified."

"No, for privacy reasons," Vanessa said. "One of the agents from that case is retired. He wants nothing to do with Warehouse 13. He's even older than I am, and he's adamant about his privacy. Just promise me, OK?"

The young woman shrugged. "OK, I promise." She opened her thermos and poured some soup into the cup.

Vanessa smiled slightly. "For many years, the creature in Loch Ness lived undisturbed. The only people who saw her were local residents. But by the 1970s, the world had become a much smaller place. With TV, the whole world seemed connected because news traveled so much faster. Also, cameras became portable, and affordable."

"People who saw the creature might even catch it on film," Claudia said.

"Also in the 1970s," Vanessa said, "more people had money and mobility for travel."

"Tourists spotted the Loch Ness Monster," Claudia said, "and it grew more famous."

"The creature's existence was such an interesting question that scientific expeditions were being launched."

"They searched the Loch and tried to locate the creature with sonar, right?"

Vanessa nodded. "One of our agents was so interested in the creature, he tried to turn it into an official mission. He was concerned anyway about boat traffic and sonar signals negatively affecting the creature. But when public discovery looked imminent, he insisted that Warehouse 13 intervene to protect the creature."

"Did he really think he could snag the creature and hide it somewhere else?"

"He was determined to try," Vanessa said. "Of course, the Regents denied his requests, mainly for logistical reasons. The agent decided to ignore their decision. He persuaded a few fellow Warehouse agents, including me, to risk our careers to help him. He even drafted at least one person from another law-enforcement agency. We caught the creature, and brought it to North America." Vanessa held up her cup and drank more of her soup.

"Oh, no. You can't stop there," Claudia said. "You're leaving out too much of the story."

Vanessa smiled and turned toward Mrs. Frederic.


	50. Ch 50

**Author's Note:**  
Ch. 49 was posted **Monday, **Feb. 4_  
_Ch. 50 posted today, **Tuesday,** Feb. 5_  
_

* * *

Dr. Vanessa waited expectantly for Mrs. Frederic to join the storytelling.

Mrs. Frederic took several steps toward them. "The insubordinate Warehouse agent hadn't made sufficient plans about how and where to keep such a large creature without attracting unwanted attention."

"Whoa. Serious PlanFail," Claudia said. "Agent Loch Ness got caught. He needs a nickname. Agent Ness?"

"I found my rogue agent, Agent Ness, as you call him," Mrs. Frederic said. "But we had to regroup quickly, for the creature's sake. So we made a lake here, inside Warehouse 13, where we knew the creature would be completely hidden from cameras and fishing expeditions."

"You said earlier, the Aquarium didn't work. What happened?"

Mrs. Frederic shrugged. "We were not certain. The creature soon grew ill. Something here about the environmental conditions, or the man-made lake, was problematic. Despite our best efforts, we couldn't find a way to keep her in Warehouse 13, and keep her healthy. So the Regents ordered us to take her back home, to Loch Ness."

Claudia drank some soup from her cup. "But the creature was never located by the fishing expeditions," she said thoughtfully. "The sonar never got clear readings on anything in the Loch."

Mrs. Frederic almost smiled. "We set up a few security measures, down in the Loch itself. No one will be detecting the creature anytime soon."

"You're jamming their sonar pings. Excellent." Claudia looked at Vanessa and Mrs. Frederic. "What happened to Agent Ness?"

Mrs. Frederic asked, "What do you mean?"

"He broke all the rules," Claudia said.

Mrs. Frederic nodded. "The incident report was one of the longest I have ever written."

Claudia stared down at her hand and fidgeted with her ring. "So what happened to Agent Ness, as punishment? Did the Regents Bronze him?"

"No," Mrs. Frederic said. "He was not incarcerated."

Claudia looked up in surprise. "What? Why not?"

"He worked a long time for Warehouse 13 before that mission, and afterward," Mrs. Frederic said. "Unfortunately, on that particular mission, his efforts backfired, and instead of protecting a rare creature, he jeopardized its life."

"But why didn't the Regents fire him?"

"The agent's primary motivation," Mrs. Frederic said, "was to protect the Loch Ness creature from physical harm. Such motivations are good, even noble. But the Regents' original reason for denying the mission was about moving the creature out of its natural habitat. The Regents' concern, and their decision, proved quite correct, in the end."

Claudia looked from Mrs. Frederic back to Vanessa. "You're not talking just about the Loch Ness Monster. You're trying to tell me something about the Regents, aren't you?"

"Agent Ness's rescue plan failed," Vanessa said. "He was only human. The Regents are human. We're all human, and despite our best efforts, we all make mistakes. We do the best we can, with the knowledge and resources we have at the time."

"Timing is everything," Claudia said grimly.

Mrs. Frederic studied the young woman's expression. "The Regents cannot see ahead of time, how events will turn out. None of us can."

"True." Claudia picked up her messenger bag and slung it over her shoulder. "But today isn't over yet. We still have time. Jane Lattimer still can't see that her plans will fail. Myka made a new plan for how we can save everyone. I guess we'll see whose plan succeeds."

At the sound of the door banging open, they turned to look toward the hallway.

Carrying a glowing purple lantern, Artie bustled into the room and glanced around nervously. "Claudia? Claudia, there you are." He paused next to her, trying to catch his breath. "Dear Claudia."

"Oh, great," she said. "Did something else burn down, or blow up?"

"No, no, no." He patted her shoulder. "Not in the last 20 minutes. We're good."

Claudia frowned at him skeptically. "Cut to the chase."

"I called Joshua," Artie said slowly, "just to check in, but I couldn't reach him." He adjusted his glasses. "Have you talked to your brother in the last few days?"

"Almost a week ago," Claudia said. "But Josh is fine. He's supposed to be 'unavailable for comment,'" she quoted. "All the employees at CERN have been told not to talk to the press, or anyone really, until they've completed the current test. The Higgs Boson experiments were getting too much publicity."

"Oh, good." Artie exhaled and rubbed his beard. "Good."

"Why are you sighing with relief?" she asked. "Were you worried about their physics experiments?"

"No," he said. "But I want you to get in touch with Joshua, today. If necessary, hack into CERN to talk to him."

"OK," she said. "But our work schedule is already into serious overtime, and by the way, we're all trapped inside Warehouse 13. So why would you need to talk to Joshua?"

Artie held up his Farnsworth. "Pete called to remind me. In Mrs. Frederic's dream-message, she mentioned both you and your brother."

"You think Josh is in danger?"

"Probably not. At least, not today," he said, "but I want him to leave Geneva immediately and fly here."

"Leave immediately? Because Josh _is _in danger," Claudia said. "From Sykes? But Sykes will be in Hong Kong, Tai Po, and then the Warehouse. How could Sykes threaten Joshua in Geneva?"

"I don't know," Artie said. "Based on the dream-message, we don't know _who _is a threat to you and Joshua, or _when _this problem will occur. But we have an important clue about _what _the artifact problem might be."

"To what artifact you do refer?" Mrs. Frederic asked.

"The Rheticus Compass," Artie said.

_Not again,_ Mrs. Frederic thought. "The Compass is here, in the Warehouse."

Artie shook his head. "It _was _in the Warehouse. But I just checked the shelves. The Compass is gone."

"MacPherson," Mrs. Frederic said grimly. "When he hypnotized Leena, and directed her to steal inventory from Warehouse 13, he took the Compass, too."

"MacPherson wanted more than that," Artie said. "Almost everything we stored belonging to Rheticus is gone."

Mrs. Frederic stared at him for a moment. "He wanted to figure out how the Compass worked," she said. "MacPherson didn't know how you brought back Joshua Donovan, from the teleportation experiment."

From his jacket pocket, Artie pulled out a small piece of paper. "MacPherson left one of his little notes," he said. "It reads, 'The Rheticus Compass has been relocated.'"

"The Teleportation Artifact has been relocated. How amusing," Mrs. Frederic said. "But where is the Compass now?"

Artie raised his purple glowing lantern. "And where is MacPherson?"

Mrs. Frederic sighed in frustration. _I wanted MacPherson to disappear. Now I wonder why he has not reappeared._

Claudia opened her laptop. "What do I tell Josh, when I reach him?"

"Tell Josh," Artie said, "we'll send someone to meet him and fly with him to the U.S."

Claudia carried her laptop out the door and across the short hallway.

Mrs. Frederic reached out and took hold of Artie's arm. "Who will we send?" she said quietly.

He stared at her in surprise. "Can't you send someone? One of the Regents?"

"So many Regents died just in the last year," Vanessa said.

"Murdered by Walter Sykes," Mrs. Frederic said.

Artie adjusted his glasses. "Everyone else we know is either here in the Warehouse, or on their way to Hong Kong."

Vanessa retrieved her mobile phone. "Not everyone. I know someone, and so do you." She looked at Mrs. Frederic. "The Loch Ness Agent. Agent Ness, as Claudia nicknamed him, is in Europe already. We can ask him to meet Joshua."

"Agent Ness," Artie grumbled, "is what, 100 years old by now?"

"80 years old," Vanessa scolded him. "He's still sharp and his age has hardly slowed him down at all. Under the circumstances, it's time to call anyone who owes you a favor. We need all the help we can muster."

Mrs. Frederic frowned. "Agent Ness resigned from the Warehouse in protest. He made it clear that he'd served enough years here, and wanted to leave all this behind him, permanently." She straightened her suit jacket. "I doubt he would even speak to anyone from Warehouse 13."

Vanessa studied the menu on her phone. "He'll talk to me. In fact, we talk quite often." She held her phone up to her ear and smiled at them. "I'm still his physician."


	51. Ch 51

_edited June 5, for continuity and clarity - added reference to Sykes's childhood baseball bat_

* * *

.

As Mrs. Frederic walked through the aisles of Warehouse 13, back toward the Cold War Bunker, Artie followed alongside her with a pushcart and reviewed their list of potential artifact countermeasures.

"I have the Dimensional Conversion Camera," he said, "but that may only freeze-frame people, and not objects. We can try it."

Mrs. Frederic listened only partially. _Something feels wrong, _she thought. _Something about Warehouse 13? Or something inside the Warehouse?_

"We have the Finger Cymbals Artifact," Artie said. "Its supersonic sound wave might crack open the container, and we could dismantle the Artifact-Bomb." He sighed. "Or the force of the cymbals' sound wave might set off the explosion sooner. I don't know."

_Joshua Donovan is safely accounted for,_ she thought. _Claudia is safe, here in the Warehouse. _She stopped walking and turned to look back down the aisle. "Where is Agent Donovan now?"

"I sent her on an errand to the World War 2 Section," he said. "Claudia is collecting more countermeasures for us to try. Some of the morale-booster artifacts are quite powerful. For example, Betty Grable's swimsuit, the one she wore in the famous photo that showed off her legs. Likewise, Marlene Dietrich's legs." He cleared his throat. "I mean, Dietrich's stockings. Also, Dietrich's original recording of her singing, 'Lili Marlene.'"

Mrs. Frederic walked again in the direction of the Bunker. _Except for the Artifact-Bomb itself, Claudia will be out of harm's way when Sykes arrives. _With her hand, she patted the pocket of her suit jacket. _I carry the Pocketwatch with me. Claudia is not at risk from contact with this device._

"Claudia is bringing some of the British RADAR equipment," he said. "Robert Alexander Watson-Watt and the British developed their RADAR technology system to detect the Luftwaffe's air raids and fight back successfully."

Mrs. Frederic nodded. "We must find some way to fight against the Luftwaffe's power and defeat it, one last time."

"Also," Artie said, "we have one or two historical white flags of military surrender."

She lowered her chin and peered at him over the tops of her glasses.

"Yeah," he said, "I doubt the Luftwaffe just gives up."

He sighed heavily, and she turned to observe the tired slouch of his shoulders.

"You've done well, Arthur," she said. "This time we're prepared to defend the Warehouse, and to defend ourselves."

"But we don't know if any of these countermeasures will stop the Artifact-Bomb, or if they'll have any effect," he said. "We still don't know if we can stop the explosion this time."

"Compared to your previous experience," Mrs. Frederic said, "this timeline is already quite different."

Artie adjusted his glasses. "Yes. Marcus fired Black Barti's Cannon early. The Barrier went up early. You, Leena, and Claudia are trapped inside Warehouse 13, along with Dr. Calder and several Regents. Several significant differences have already occurred, yes." He exhaled loudly. "Myka was so sure we could change the timeline to our advantage."

_The timeline has been changed, by us, and by Walter Sykes,_ she thought. _Whether or not today ends well remains to be seen._

_._

* * *

.

In the empty first-class section of their airplane, Myka looked up from her laptop as Pete returned. Seeing that he had put on his "Iron Shadow" T-shirt, she gave him a small smile.

"For good luck." Over his T-shirt, Pete put on a blue collared shirt. "Artie called me on my phone." He buttoned up his shirt and adjusted the collar. "Joshua is fine, but they're sending some 80-year-old retired agent to meet him and fly back to the U.S."

She frowned in thought. "How does a Warehouse agent retire? That's not allowed, is it?"

"How does a Warehouse agent live to be 80 years old?" he asked. "Most of the others we know about ended up crazy, evil, or dead." He nodded. "We need to find out that guy's secret for survival."

The Farnsworth rang. She was surprised to discover Claudia's face glaring at her from the videoscreen.

"I have to use the Pocketwatch," Claudia said. "It's the only way."

At the sound of Claudia's angry urgency, Myka's pulse quickened. "Wait," she said. "What happened?"

Pete sat down next to her and leaned toward the Farnsworth. "Joshua is OK, right?"

"Josh is fine," Claudia said, "but we have to save Steve."

She glanced at Pete and saw his expression fall into sadness. He slouched back into his seat.

"I'm not clear about what you mean," she said, trying to speak calmly. "Did something else happen?"

"Marcus," Claudia said. "Marcus is at the B&B. I was thinking about how I'd like to kill him. Then I was thinking about before. In the previous timeline, Mrs. Frederic cornered him at the B&B, and I stopped the Metronome, and Marcus dropped dead."

Myka rubbed her forehead. _Please, not today. I can barely deal with the events we have to survive today._

"Since we're trapped inside Warehouse 13," Claudia said, "I can't get near Marcus this time. If I can't get to him, I can't snag the Metronome Artifact. If I can't get my hands on the Metronome, how are we going to bring back Steve?"

Again she glanced at Pete, and saw his slight grimace was tinged with pain.

_Bring back Steve? Bring him back from the dead?_ she thought. _I'm busy wondering how many more of us will end up dead. _She avoided meeting Claudia's eyes. _Now would be a bad time to admit that Steve's death is permanent. _

_Stick to the truth. _Myka took a deep breath. "Right at this moment, I have no idea," she said. "Today, we concentrate on surviving our fight with Sykes. If the rest of us survive today, it will be a really, really good day."

"But if I use the Pocketwatch," Claudia said, "if I try again, I can go back earlier and save Steve. I can fix everything."

"No!" she said. "No, you cannot use the Pocketwatch."

"We have to help Steve," Claudia shouted.

_Slow down, _she told herself. _Speak calmly so Claudia will calm down, too. _She looked right into Claudia's eyes. "We agreed, remember? Our new policy. No one goes on a mission alone," she said firmly. "No one, you agreed. You won't use the Pocketwatch without me."

Claudia paused a long moment. "But what about Steve?"

"For now," Myka said, "we need to focus on the immediate danger hanging over our heads." _A large axe, hanging over my head. Helena with a gun, pointed at my head. _"We have to make it through today, one step at a time."

.

* * *

.

"You're lying," Sykes said.

Reflexively, Helena reached up to her necklace and clutched her locket. "I tell you the truth. I have never seen this Chess Lock." She looked up from the thin booklet with Caturanga's handwritten notes. "Did he leave no other information?"

"You're holding the information in your hands," he said. "You're going to read that notebook, figure out what it means, and tell me how to open the Chess Lock."

"Surely," she said, "Caturanga had some assistance in building such a large device. Someone else must know about the Chess Lock."

Sykes shifted the baseball bat he cradled in his arms. He pointed at her. "You."

"No, I was incarcerated," she said hoarsely, "in 1900. Since then, I remained incarcerated for almost the entire time, which is how I arrived in your custody." _Why must my liberation always be at the hands of a madman? _She glared at him. "Obviously, Caturanga built this device after I was gone. I couldn't possibly know how it works."

"You play chess," he said. "You win the game, and open the Chess Lock for me."

Helena looked down at the notebook diagram in dismay. _Locks are for containment and restraint. What does this lock do? _She thought back in her memory. _The Escher Vault contains powerful artifacts. The Bronze Sector restrains dangerous people. What danger might be loosed by opening such a lock?_

At the sound of the cabin door opening, Helena looked up to see Tyler carrying his laptop.

"Mr. Sykes." Tyler smiled at him. "I opened part of another file. That old compass? It's a teleportation device."

For a moment, Sykes studied the grain of his wooden bat. "MacPherson claimed the Compass could teleport people. Now I have confirmation." He looked up at Tyler. "How does the Compass work?"

Tyler's expression turned hesitant. "I only just got the file open. Decrypting the whole file will take more time."

"The Donovans are associated with the artifact, somehow," Sykes said. "Maybe one of them knows how to use the Compass." He frowned at Tyler. "Have you decrypted the rest of Joshua Donovan's file yet?"

"I need more time," Tyler said.

"By the time we reach Hong Kong," Sykes said coldly, "I want those files."

Watching Sykes, Helena felt a slight shiver. _Tyler has chosen his fate. If he doesn't want my help, I cannot save him. _

She looked down at Caturanga's notebook without focusing. _The less Sykes knows about Claudia and her brother, the safer they remain. _Her thoughts raced, searching for a plan of attack. _The files are contained in the computer, the laptop. If I could destroy the device, or damage it. If I could get the laptop away from Tyler, or rather, from Sykes, then the information would be lost. I must protect Claudia and Joshua from this madman's plan. _

A mechanical beep drew Helena's attention to the large videoscreen on the wall.

Sykes sat next to the videoscreen in his wheelchair. "Not again," he huffed as he turned his chair slightly.

On the screen, Regent Jane Lattimer's face appeared. Her expression was stern, but her speech was steady. "Walter, you must reconsider our offer to exchange the Collodi Bracelet for H.G. Wells."

Sykes gripped his baseball bat by its handle and rested its barrel on his shoulder. "I said 'no.' That was my final answer."

"But we're prepared to offer you much more," Jane said. "Our research shows that you haven't sought medical treatment in years. We can help you. The Warehouse has access to the finest doctors from around the world. We also have the inside track on developing medical technologies."

Sykes interrupted her. "I don't need medical help," he said. "I need my Bracelet. With my Bracelet, I can walk. Problem solved."

"That baseball bat," Jane said gently. "It's the bat you played ball with, when you were a boy, isn't it? If you could walk again, you'd like to play baseball. You still have dreams, for the future. We can help you."

He smirked at her. "The Bracelet is just the next step. When I can walk again, I can get started on much bigger plans besides baseball."

_Plans?_ Helena wondered. _Plans beyond killing Warehouse personnel and collecting artifacts? _She clutched her locket. _Artifacts. He plans to use the Compass and the other artifacts he acquired from MacPherson. _She took a deep breath. _Of course. Sykes plans to use the artifacts, just like MacPherson. _

"Please, Walter," Jane said, "at least let our physicians examine you and consult on your case. Let us help you."

The black pools swirled in Sykes's eyes. "Stop wasting my time," he shouted. "I'm not interested in any offers. I'm the one in control of this game. This is your last warning, Jane. All of you are running out of time."

Suddenly, Sykes swung his baseball bat and slammed its barrel against the picture of Jane's face on the videoscreen.

The loud cracking sound startled Helena.

He swung the bat again and made another crack in the screen's surface.

Helena watched in fear as Sykes hit his baseball bat against the screen repeatedly.

_Madness, _she thought sadly._ His madness will destroy us all. _

_._

* * *

.

Walking along the aisles of Warehouse 13 with a talkative Agent Nielsen, Mrs. Frederic suddenly stopped and stared up at the distant ceiling.

_The sensation has not subsided, _she thought. _Something is amiss in the Warehouse._

After a moment, Artie's long discussion of World War 2 artifacts also halted.

He cleared his throat. "Mrs. Frederic?"

She turned away from him to stare down the long row of inventory shelves.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Many things are wrong." Again, she stared at the ceiling.

"Could you," he said, "be more specific?"

Overhead, a loud boom startled them. The Warehouse floor shook violently. Against the strong jolt, they struggled to remain standing.

The shaking lasted only a moment, but the sounds of boxes and artifacts hitting the floor continued for several more moments.

Artie stared at the ceiling. "Oh, no."

"Another cannonball." Mrs. Frederic took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure. "Sykes is changing the timeline."

Artie's Farnsworth rang like an alarm. "That didn't happen before." He pointed at the ceiling and shook his head. "That is not supposed to happen."

_Was it only the cannonball I sensed?_ _Or is it the imminent arrival of Walter Sykes that disturbs me? _Mrs. Frederic closed her eyes and tried to refocus her mind. _Or is something else amiss in the Warehouse?_


	52. Ch 52

NEW - **Chapter 52 - you are here**

NEW - **Chapter 53** - will be posted later today

* * *

Searching through the aisles of Warehouse 13 for Artie, Mrs. Frederic located the purplish light of a Neutralizer Lamp.

With his back to her, Artie lifted a small box from the inventory shelf onto his pushcart. He picked up the lantern as she approached him.

"Arthur," she said.

Surprised, he turned quickly, almost hitting her with his lantern. "Oh, you're here," he said.

"I'm here, and you're here." She pointed at the glowing purple lantern. "But our ghostly intruder has been quiet for several hours. Where, do you suppose, is MacPherson?"

"Maybe," Artie said, "when Claudia sprayed him with Neutralizer, maybe it dissolved his ghost-form. Maybe MacPherson is finally gone."

She stared at him in silence.

"No," he said, "no, he's probably not gone. I just hope he's not haunting Claudia again, while she's trying to work."

Mrs. Frederic crossed her arms. "Where exactly is Agent Donovan?"

"Claudia is working," he said slowly, "in the Warehouse, fetching artifacts for us, from the inventory."

She looked at him thoughtfully. "At least Claudia isn't hiding anymore," she said. "The Warehouse motion sensors are picking up more activity."

Artie reached for his laptop, opened it, and found the program for the motion sensor system. "Claudia isn't hiding, wasn't hiding, from you. You and I both know that even if she waited up in the office, like Mrs. Lattimer seems to prefer, Claudia wouldn't be safe from the explosion," he said. "None of us will be safe, really."

Artie's Farnsworth rang. As he opened the small metallic box, Pete called out, "Hey, are you guys OK? Leena said the Warehouse took another hit from Black Barti's Cannon."

Myka's face frowned from the videoscreen. "That did not happen in the previous timeline. What does it mean?"

"The second cannonball, fired at the Warehouse," Mrs. Frederic said, "means the protective Barrier remains activated, and keeps all of us inside."

"Also," Artie said, "another cannonball shows that Sykes is really ticked off."

"So what do we do now?" Pete asked. "Do these changes in the timeline mean we change our plans?"

"This timeline is getting messier," Myka said, "but we know that Sykes is still obsessed, so his plan hasn't really changed."

Mrs. Frederic watched as Artie adjusted his glasses. "His primary goal," he said, "is to retrieve the Collodi Bracelet and leave behind the Artifact-Bomb. For us, that means no, our plan hasn't changed either."

"Leaving the bomb on the Hong Kong side," Mrs. Frederic said, "in such a heavily populated area, would be much too dangerous. As far as I can see, we must allow Sykes to bring the Artifact-Bomb through the Portal and into the Warehouse again."

"So our plan is to follow the playbook and replay our meeting with Sykes?" Pete asked. "Myka and I do the same things we did in the previous timeline?"

"Yes, I think so," Artie said.

"I think that's our only choice," Myka said. "That way all of us are on the same page. And this time, Sykes is the only one who'll be surprised by what happens."

"So after Myka and H.G. work on the Chess Lock," Pete said, "which Myka already knows how to open, Sykes will bring me, and his hidden bomb, through the Portal." He winced. "Apparently, I'll be pointing my gun at you. Sorry."

Artie nodded. "Mrs. Frederic and I will meet Pete and Sykes at the Portal, and pretend to be surprised by the invasion. We'll agree to Sykes's demands and take him through the Warehouse to the storage shelves to retrieve the Collodi Bracelet."

"While you lead Sykes away from the Portal," Myka said, "that gives me a few minutes to explain the plan to Helena while we're still in the Regent Sanctum. We'll reset the chess game, reopen the Portal, and return to the Warehouse as quickly as we can."

"Claudia will meet the two of you at the Portal," Mrs. Frederic said.

"No," Myka said. "I mean, not immediately. Claudia will shadow you guys, and be Pete's backup until I get there."

Mrs. Frederic frowned. "As much as possible, I want Agent Donovan to remain safely out of harm's way."

"I wish we could completely protect Claudia, too," Myka said, "but until we can snag the DeMille Crop away from Sykes, someone needs to protect all of you. Claudia is Pete's backup."

"So," Artie said, "we'll be farther inside the Warehouse. The only reason we're giving the Collodi Bracelet to Sykes is because once he can walk, he can run away from us. We need to separate him from his wheelchair."

"Sykes will run away from his wheelchair," Mrs. Frederic said, "and from the bomb he left hidden inside. That gives us the opportunity to retrieve the Artifact-Bomb and begin our countermeasures plan."

Pete said, "After Sykes can walk again, somebody needs to neutralize the DeMille Crop, or snag it away from him."

"Right," Myka said. "Also, we know ahead of time, and Sykes knows, that he needs to run away. So we're planning to chase him, Pete and I."

Mrs. Frederic recalled Artie's description of the previous timeline. The Portal remained open and Sykes attempted to escape before the explosion. _This time, I will be inside Warehouse 13 when the attack commences. _She adjusted her scarf covering the artifact she wore around her neck._ I am prepared to defend the Warehouse myself. By using the Aegis of Athena, I can stop Sykes. _

"From the aisle where the Bracelet is stored," Mrs. Frederic said, "I will follow Agents Bering and Lattimer, and assist them in apprehending Walter Sykes."

From the Farnsworth, she heard Agent Lattimer say, "Whoa."

Myka cleared her throat. "Since Sykes will be mobile," she said slowly, "we may have to chase him. Through the Warehouse. Did you mean, Mrs. Frederic, that you would chase him, also?"

"This time," Mrs. Frederic said, "I personally am prepared to defend the Warehouse against an attack."

On the Farnsworth videoscreen, Myka and Pete's surprised faces stared back at them.

After a moment, Artie spoke up. "OK. After Myka returns to back up Pete, all of you people will run off and chase Sykes. Then the fleet-footed Claudia will run to collect H.G. by the Portal area. Claudia will lead H.G. to the Cold War Bunker and update her on the defensive preparations."

He adjusted his glasses. "Meanwhile, I will retrieve the Artifact-Bomb from Sykes's wheelchair. I'll carry the bomb to the Bunker and meet Claudia and H.G. The three of us will use the countermeasures to deactivate the bomb."

"After we have successfully apprehended Sykes," Mrs. Frederic said, "I will join Artie, Claudia, and Agent Wells in the Cold War Bunker and assist their work."

For a moment, no one else spoke.

Artie sighed tiredly. "We tried to prepare for every possibility. Myka, did you think of anything else?"

Myka bit her lip and shook her head.

"OK, then," Artie said. "With two teams of people and with all of our preparations, we're ready this time."

_This time. _Mrs. Frederic glanced at the shelves of inventory around her. _Warehouse 13, and at least one of the Caretakers, must survive this time._

* * *

On the airplane, in the tiny restroom, Myka stood at the sink and washed her hands. _Soon. _She stared at her own tired face in the mirror. _Soon we'll rescue Helena. Soon we'll all be back home in Warehouse 13. Soon Sykes will be dead. _She looked away from the mirror and took a deep breath. _I'm going to kill Walter Sykes and bring this nightmare to an end._

Myka exited the restroom and slowly made her way back up the main aisle of the airplane. She walked into the empty first-class section and saw Pete standing with the open Farnsworth. _Probably talking to Claudia. Claudia could use more reassurance. _She reached up and rubbed her neck as she yawned. _I wish we had more reassurance. _

As she approached him, Myka was surprised when he turned to look at her in distress.

Pete shook his head vehemently, and held up a piece of paper. His sign read, "PLEASE don't tell my Mom the scary details."

_Jane Lattimer, _she thought wearily. _Why? Why can't she stay out of our way? Let us do our jobs._

As she took the Farnsworth and stood beside Pete, Jane Lattimer spoke. "Agent Bering, I want to update you."

"We've already finalized our plans with Mrs. Frederic," she said. "We're ready."

Jane frowned. "I'm talking about my plan for handling Sykes once he arrives."

_Dead on arrival,_ Myka thought. "He won't hurt anyone else this time," she said, "because as soon as I get back inside the Warehouse, all I need is a clear shot to take down Sykes."

After a moment of silence, she realized Pete was staring at her in shock. _Oh. _She cringed inwardly. _I had not intended to say that out loud. _

"Let me be clear." Jane glared through the Farnsworth. "Walter Sykes must be captured alive."

Myka said nothing. She glanced at Pete, who bit his lip nervously.

"Dr. Calder and her team can assess him for potential treatment," Jane said. "Unfortunately, Sykes did not accept my final offer of exchange for the Collodi Bracelet."

It was Myka's turn to be stunned. "What?" she said loudly. "You don't mean, you called Sykes again."

"I wanted Sykes to consider the alternatives, and see the possibilities of how his life could be different."

"Sykes is already on the edge," Myka shouted, "and you're sending him over. Are you trying to endanger Helena, to lose her, before we can get to the Sanctum to rescue her?"

"I'm trying," Jane said sternly, "to save Miss Wells, and change Walter's mind before he reaches Warehouse 13."

"You're too late," she said. "He can't be reasoned with, not anymore. Sykes's ability to see the difference between right and wrong, to see anything but his obsession, is long gone."

"We can still help him," Jane said. "The Warehouse doctors are already here, so they can get started as soon as you've captured Sykes."

"If he's captured." Myka remembered standing near Helena, Pete, and Artie as they stared helplessly at the timer on the Artifact-Bomb. _Will we have enough time?_ "And if we all survive."

"I don't think you understand me, Agent Bering," Jane said. "I said capture. I want Walter Sykes taken alive. That's an order."

Myka's anger turned to fury. "We already know from the previous timeline, Sykes wants to injure us, and torture and kill us. Helena, Pete, all of us. Don't you understand what Sykes is planning to do?" She glanced over the Farnsworth at Pete's face.

He held up his sign again for her to see, shook his head repeatedly, and mouthed the word, _No.  
_

For a moment she closed her eyes. _You don't understand, Jane,_ she thought. _Sykes will force your son to turn his gun on himself. Last time, Pete almost shot himself in the head. I can't lose another partner. Not like that. _She opened her eyes to look at him and clenched her jaw. _I will not lose Pete. Not today, or any other day. Not as long as I'm alive._

Another thought about her partner occurred to her. _We're Warehouse agents. _

She frowned at Regent Lattimer. "I thought our job was to save Warehouse 13," Myka said. "Our job is to protect Mrs. Frederic because she's the Caretaker, and to protect the Warehouse."

Jane said flatly, "And capture Sykes, alive. I've given you your orders."

The Farnsworth screen went dark.


	53. Ch 53

**NEW - Chapter 52** - ALSO posted today

**NEW - Chapter 53 - you are here**

_next chapter posting- Saturday, March 16_

* * *

Helena watched out the window as the airplane descended through the clouds. Far below, she saw the sprawling modern city situated on the harbor. _This must be Hong Kong. _As the plane flew closer, she was surprised to see such a crowded array of towering buildings.

Their plane approached a small island, and circled above the open space of the airport. The plane landed on the runway with a loud thud, but continued rolling forward. After driving past several multi-level buildings, the plane came to a stop near a smaller brick building.

_Finally, we are back on solid ground. I thought I'd feel more relief than this. _In the empty cabin, where she'd been ordered to wait, Helena sat clutching the messenger bag which contained her books and papers.

She glanced out the window again. _But Sykes brought me halfway around the world to open this strange Chess Lock designed by Caturanga. Our arrival here, and the knowledge that Myka and Pete will follow us into certain danger, fills me with dread. _

Eventually, she heard heavy footsteps approach the cabin door. The door opened and Tyler called loudly, "OK, Mr. Sykes is ready. Come on." His heavy footsteps fled away from the cabin.

She walked through the airplane compartments and saw the hatch was opened. She moved into the open hatch, and saw a metallic staircase leading down to the ground.

Outside the airplane, Tyler waited at the bottom of the steps. "Hurry up," he shouted.

_Now that I am no longer confined in the airplane, I must search for some way, any way, to help Myka and Pete._ As she held the handrail and made her way down the steps onto ground level, she studied the young man.

He didn't look at her, but stared toward the doorway of the small building and shifted his weight from one foot to another. Tyler carried his own messenger bag, which undoubtedly contained his ever-present laptop computer.

They walked together across the pavement toward the small building.

"Reconsider my warning," Helena said. "Mr. Sykes will harm you, eventually. You must run away."

Tyler glared at her. "I told you, your idea is stupid," he said. "I'm getting paid a ton of money. And Mr. Sykes said he had another job for me to do. That means more money."

_That means more danger,_ she thought. _Tyler's foolish trust in Sykes will prove fatal._

As they opened the door and entered the building, Helena heard the sound of rushing water. The short hallway led into a larger room with a decorative water fountain against one wall.

Just inside this room, Helena paused for a quick look around to size up her environment. Tyler kept walking across the room toward Sykes.

On another wall, Helena saw some signage above a long countertop. She recognized the language characters as Chinese, and noted with relief that the captions were in English.

Across the room, next to Sykes and Tyler, stood another man she had not seen before. For the moment, Sykes did not seem to be in any hurry. After receiving some instructions, the man exited the other end of the room while Sykes and Tyler continued talking.

Helena stepped closer to the decorative fountain. She stood next to its low retaining wall and looked down at the pool of water. _The sound of rushing water would be soothing under almost any other circumstance._

She heard Sykes's voice grow louder. "I told you, I need those files decrypted."

"I just need more time," Tyler said.

_Classified files,_ she thought. _On the laptop. _She examined the pool of water. _My knowledge of computers is quite limited. But I remember that the tiny mechanisms, housed inside the plastic framework, are quite vulnerable to damage. _She looked over at Tyler. _The opportunity presents itself. Yes._

She turned from the fountain and walked across the room toward the two men.

Ignoring her movements, Sykes and Tyler argued intensely. "I'm sure I can hack the rest of the files," Tyler said. "Please, just give me a little more time."

As soon as Helena approached near enough to Tyler, she reached out and grabbed the strap of his messenger bag, pulling it off his shoulder. Quickly, she ran back toward the fountain, carrying the bag.

Behind her, Tyler shouted angrily. "Hey!"

At the edge of the fountain's retaining wall, she dropped the bag into the pool and pushed it down under the water.

"No," Tyler shouted. He ran to the fountain, reached past Helena to grab the bag, and pulled it out of the water.

She stood upright and studied the soaked bag Tyler held up. _I hope submersion in water does irreparable damage to such delicate mechanical systems._

Suddenly, Tyler turned and punched her in the stomach.

Doubled over with pain, she clutched her midsection. _Forgot about my defense_.

With his hand, Tyler smacked her hard across the face. The force of the blow sent her to the ground. She sat still, gasping for breath, headache pounding.

"She's trying to sabotage you, Mr. Sykes," Tyler said loudly.

Struggling against dizziness, Helena glanced up and saw Sykes's wheelchair rolling toward them. His hand was on a control mechanism, attached at the end of the armrest. _This wheelchair is different. He appears to be controlling it, and driving it by automation._

"Nice try, Miss Wells," Sykes said, "but I have copies of the files. Also, we have backup copies of Tyler's decryption work. So you didn't actually destroy anything."

She tried to ignore her disappointment and the throbbing pain in her head. _Sykes drives this mechanized wheelchair. _With effort, she breathed steadily. _Were his hands not controlling the DeMille Crop? _

She reviewed the quick moments of the attack. _This time, Tyler was not illuminated by the artifact's effect. Sykes was not using the artifact to manipulate him. Tyler hit me himself, _she concluded grimly.

"She'll just cause trouble," Tyler said. "We don't need her to go with us."

"Miss Wells is going to be extremely helpful," Sykes said. "I need her to open a certain lock for me."

"I'll die before I help you," Helena said without looking up.

"You said that earlier," Sykes said, "but you will help me, whether you want to, or not."

Helena heard the door open at the far end of the room.

"Our taxi is here," Sykes said to her. "Get up. It's time for us to go."

_I cannot fight both of them, not while Sykes wields that artifact. _Reflexively, Helena clutched her locket. _Myka and Pete will find us. _She took another deep breath. _They must discover some way to stop Sykes. _

* * *

**NOTE EDIT:** For story chronology reasons, the second **SCENE (previously here) was MOVED **into Chapter 56.


	54. Ch 54

**NEW - Ch. 54** - posted Saturday, March 16

_edited June 5, 2013, for clarity & continuity - I gave actor Eddie McClintock's artistic abilities to his character, Pete, so he can draw detailed sketches. (see also, ch. 10)  
_

.

* * *

.

Mrs. Frederic stood on the metallic bridge, gripped the handrail, and surveyed the floor of Warehouse 13. _The aqueducts are completely filled now. _Under the footbridge, the thick purple liquid flowed through the canal. _I hope that will be enough Neutralizer to lessen the damage, should the explosion occur. _

She turned to study the aisles of inventory shelves. _But this is quite annoying. I can't sense MacPherson's ghostly presence. Could Arthur be correct? Was the ghost dissolved when Claudia sprayed him with Neutralizer?_

She searched along the edges of the canal, and into the endless distance of the old building. _More likely, the Neutralizer has confined his haunting appearances to a smaller area of the Warehouse. _

Stepping to the other side of the footbridge, she held the handrail and watched for any sign of movement. _Or perhaps it's me. What if this huge quantity of Neutralizer is limiting my ability to sense disturbances?_

She took a deep breath. _Enough with the distractions. We have more urgent matters to deal with today._

She reviewed her mental checklist of preparations. _Warehouse 13 is effectively flooded with Neutralizer. The Cold War Bunker is set up with countermeasures for the Artifact-Bomb, while the Bunker itself may limit the force of an explosion. _

She adjusted her scarf covering the large collar-necklace. _I'm wearing the Aegis of Athena. With the Gorgoneion contained in its locket, I can stop Sykes in his tracks._

She checked her wristwatch. _Claudia is inside the Warehouse this time, and so is Dr. Calder. If necessary, the Caretaker link can be transferred to Claudia. _She nodded to herself. _We've prepared as best we can._

She walked along the footbridge and down the metal stairs back onto the Warehouse floor.

As she walked up the main aisle among the rows of shelves, a familiar aroma caught her attention and she stopped. _I smell apples. _

With a slight smile, she looked up at the ceiling. _Yes, we'll do everything we can to protect Warehouse 13._

Mrs. Frederic turned and walked up the aisle quickly. _Yes, for as long as I'm able, I'll continue as your Caretaker. _

* * *

_._

_I'm relaxed. Completely relaxed. _Sitting back against her seat, with her eyes shut, Myka inhaled deeply. _My heartbeat is steady. _She exhaled slowly. _My shoulder muscles are relaxed._

Next to her, Pete huffed in impatience.

"Shhh," she said. "Just breathe deeply."

She felt the framework of their airplane seats shake slightly as Pete bounced one of his legs nervously.

Trying to ignore him, she drew another deep breath. _I'm relaxed. I feel peaceful._

"Don't you want to know what my Mom said?" he whispered.

"No." She exhaled slowly. _Concentrate on breathing. Feeling relaxed. _

"Mom had more to say. That's why she called on my phone. Don't you want to know what she said?"

"Shhh," she said. _Don't want to know. Not ever. Breathe deeply._

"Mom wanted to wish us good luck. Both of us. She knows that we'll do a great job, and she's really proud of us."

"Of course, your mother is proud of _you_." Myka kept her eyes closed. "But she should be proud. You're a good agent. Now be quiet, OK?" She inhaled deeply.

Her airplane seat shook slightly and the framework started to squeak. Pete sighed loudly.

_My heart is beating steadily and calmly. _She exhaled slowly. _All my muscles feel relaxed._

"Do you hate my Mom?" he whispered.

It was her turn to sigh in exasperation. "No," she said slowly. "I don't hate her." She kept her eyes closed. "I will try to remember the original Regent Jane, the Regent Jane I met in the 40-story office building. That Regent Jane was an impressive, kick-ass woman."

She inhaled deeply. _My neck and shoulder muscles are relaxed. _She exhaled. _I feel calm and peaceful._

Myka felt Pete's elbow nudge her arm.

"Fine." She opened her eyes. "I hate Jane's plan. I hate it. It's another terrible plan, which will totally fail, or backfire, and probably get us killed. I hate any plan or scenario that gets any of us killed. We don't need any interference, from any Regents." The memory resurfaced of the digital numbers on the bomb's timer. _Counting down to the explosion. _She shook her head. "Not today," she said sharply. "We're facing enough danger already."

Pete sat still and looked down at their messenger bags on the floor.

Myka's pulse pounded in her ears. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat. "Now I have to start over." She took a deep breath.

"But if you kill Sykes, against direct orders," he asked, "what if the Regents suspend you on some kind of insubordination charge? Or transfer you away from the Warehouse? What if they fire you?"

"They won't fire me." She kept her eyes shut as she exhaled. "And I'm not leaving. The Regents can't fire me, not anytime soon. Because of Sykes and his vendetta, we have barely enough people left to defend the Warehouse. You know, as well as I do, we'll be lucky to survive. That's our mission. We all survive." She took another deep breath.

After several long moments, Pete spoke hesitantly. "We always thought, probably, as Warehouse agents, I mean, you and I figured, if we did die, we would die together."

She exhaled slowly. "Hmm. Yes. Previously, that's what we said." She opened her eyes. "But that plan needs to be changed."

"Change the rules?" he asked.

"Change. Improve." She looked at him. "Make new rules, certainly better rules. Where are the sketches you made? Let me have them." She retrieved her pen.

Pete reached down, rummaged through his bag, and handed her several pieces of paper.

She chose the detailed sketch of his favorite comic book hero, the Iron Shadow. "We're upgrading our partnership policy. Under our new agreement, we plan to survive until we're 80 years old." She turned the paper over to its blank side and wrote.

"Like Agent Ness?" he asked. "Retired agents who are not crazy or evil? That would be a good plan."

"We, the undersigned Warehouse personnel," she read as she wrote, "agree to survive until we are 80 years old, and to avoid becoming crazy or evil." Under the statement, she wrote her name. _Myka O. Bering._

She handed him the pen. "Sign your name. As soon as we see the others, they have to sign, too."

Under her signature, he wrote his own.

She took the page from him. "One more thing." Underneath the portrait of the Iron Shadow, she wrote, _Agent Pete Lattimer is an extraordinary partner. Sincerely, Agent Myka Bering. P.S. Thank you for not wearing your trunks on the outside of your clothes. _

She handed him the paper. "Stash this important document inside your suit jacket, for safe-keeping."

Pete read her note and smiled shyly. "Thanks." Carefully he folded the paper and tucked it inside his jacket. Leaning back in his seat, he closed his eyes.

Myka took his sketch of H.G. Wells with her Grappler Gun, turned the paper over, and wrote a message for Helena.

"I could never do this job without you," Pete said. "I wouldn't want to do this job without you. I don't want you to get fired."

_Poor Pete,_ she thought. _Still worried that the people he loves will leave him._

"We talked about this the other day," she said. "Leaving the Warehouse was a huge mistake, which I would never make again." She remembered sitting beside him on the bench in the Univille Conservatory. "Oh, wait. That was before. We had that conversation in the previous timeline. My point was, and is, I will never leave again. Not willingly."

With her elbow, she nudged his arm. "And, we have the good stuff to look forward to. For example, you get a new Purple Goo Gun."

Pete nodded slowly. "You know, the Super Soaker Point Break can shoot about 15 feet, with a continuous stream of water."

"Mm-hmm." Myka looked down at the paper and wrote more of her note.

"But the Super Soaker Hydro Cannon can shoot over 30 feet away. And it holds and shoots even larger amounts of water."

She finished her writing and gave him a little frown. "Claudia is your favorite Warehouse agent, isn't she?"

"Yep." He smiled. "But only until the next awesome or brilliant thing you do." He pointed at the page in front of her. "What did you write for H.G.?"

"With everything else that's going to happen today, I wanted to get an important message down on paper. Helena needs to know that she belongs with us at Warehouse 13."

Quietly, she read the note to him.

_Helena,_

_If you get this note, then we have already succeeded in changing the rules. So far, so good._

_A few days ago, you assured Claudia she had a glorious destiny, but she doubted you, because she couldn't see it. You, too, have a brilliant future ahead, even if you yourself don't see it yet._

_A year ago, I saw only danger and death in the future, and grew terrified that I would fail to protect the people I loved. So I ran away from the Warehouse. But I learned that when you find the place you belong, you stay and fight for it. I saw clearly then that I belong with my family, at Warehouse 13._

_Let me assure you, you belong at Warehouse 13 just as much as the rest of us. You belong with us. The path may not be completely clear yet, but you are already on your way back home._

_And you have returned, just in time. The Warehouse, and all of us with it, need saving, again._

_Welcome home. Myka_

Pete nodded. "Good. But kinda short." He smiled slightly. "Usually, you're much wordier than that."

"Ha." She folded up the paper and put it away inside her jacket. "When our lives get back to normal, I'll write lengthy memos to all of you, detailing all of my new policies and plans. But today, we're pressed for time."

From the audio speaker above their heads, the intercom beeped. The pilot announced their impending arrival at the Hong Kong International Airport.

She reached over and gripped Pete's wrist tightly. "We're here," she said. "We're finally here. It's time. We've got to meet Helena, in the Regent Sanctum, before it's too late."

"We'll make it," he said. "Try to stay calm. Try taking deep breaths."

Skeptically, she frowned at him. She leaned her head back against the seat, shut her eyes, and inhaled a deep breath. _We can't be late. We must reach Helena and get back to Warehouse 13. _She exhaled slowly. _Back home. We're going home. We're almost home._


	55. Ch 55

Chapter 54 - posted March 16

**Chapter 55** - posted March 17 - **you are here**

_next chapter posting - March 23_

* * *

Walking back through the aisles, Mrs. Frederic found Artie, and his inventory pushcart, at one of the Warehouse system terminals. He stared at the monitor and worked at the keyboard as the computer beeped for attention.

He glanced at her and pointed to the screen. "Another artifact disturbance among the inventory shelves. And the motion sensors are registering much more activity." He rubbed his beard for a moment.

"What is going on?" she asked.

Artie shrugged. "I'm calling Claudia." He picked up his Farnsworth. "I know we're in a hurry to get ready, and I know she's upset, but Claudia is leaving a messy trail through the Warehouse." He opened the small metallic box and pressed the contact button.

In response, Claudia's angry voice called out, "Why does old news have to be highly classified? Ancient history does not need to be Top Secret. I've had enough. Enough with all the secrets."

Artie glanced over the top of the Farnsworth at Mrs. Frederic.

Before he could speak, Claudia said loudly, "Do we even know the whole truth about the Pocketwatch? I started reading this file about Tesla, and the dates do not work out. Why does everything have to be a secret?"

_Is Claudia reading classified files? Again?_ Mrs. Frederic took the Farnsworth from Artie's hand. "Agent Donovan, what file are you reading?"

Startled, Claudia hesitated. "Wikipedia."

"Really?" Mrs. Frederic watched her skeptically.

Claudia frowned. "How could Tesla get the Pocketwatch Artifact in the _late _1940s?" she asked. "He was dead. Nikola Tesla died in 1943."

Mrs. Frederic thought of the time-travel device, safely hidden in the pocket of her suit jacket._ Why does Claudia persist in arguing about the Pocketwatch? _She glanced at the young woman's angry face. _I will give her more information_, _if only to convince her, finally, that time travel is too dangerous to risk again. _

"In the original timeline," she said, "Tesla was still alive in 1947. He was 90 years old, and in excellent physical and mental health, when he received the Pocketwatch. But he made time-travel trips of great distance, back into the 1930s. And he made so many trips. Too many." She paused a moment, remembering the difficulties her friend suffered in his final years. "The temporal displacements were so great and so frequent, they damaged his cognitive functions."

On the Farnsworth screen, Claudia looked down and she seemed to be fidgeting with something in her hand.

"What does Wikipedia say," Mrs. Frederic asked, "about the end of Tesla's life, about the condition of his health in his final years?"

She saw Claudia's eyes grow wider.

The Farnsworth view moved away from Claudia's face. "Hold on."

_She'll need a moment,_ Mrs. Frederic thought, _to find Wikipedia and look it up._

After a moment, Claudia read aloud. "By the 1940s, Tesla lived alone, in his hotel room in New York City. Like a hermit, I guess. He had several symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder." She paused. "This says Tesla hated jewelry, and round objects."

"Like pocketwatches?" Artie asked.

"Tesla had a recurring problem," Claudia said, "where he would see blinding flashes of light, and get visions. He also suffered from vivid flashbacks."

Artie looked at Mrs. Frederic. "That sounds like side-effects," he said grimly, "of artifact usage, or time travel. Or both."

She gave him a small nod. _Poor Nikola. He sacrified a great deal to save the world from tyranny, to fix history. _She straightened her suit jacket and felt the weight of the Pocketwatch. _Claudia must never use the time-travel device. What if 80 years of history came unravelled?_

Claudia said, "Looks like elderly Tesla's favorite thing to do was feed the pigeons. Is being slightly obsessed with pigeons also a side-effect of the Pocketwatch?"

"Indirectly," Mrs. Frederic said, "but yes. In 1931, Tesla tried several times to fix the outcome of a particularly important day, December 13. This was also in New York City. In the moment he arrived, Tesla was overrun by a flock of pigeons. The day required several attempts to fix it, which meant he was overrun by the pigeons repeatedly."

"Sounds like the pigeons," Claudia said, "made a strong impression on Tesla's brain. So what happened on December 13, 1931?"

"It's a long story," Mrs. Frederic said, "and we don't have time for that. The point is that Tesla's magnificent brain was seriously damaged by frequent time travel. That is one of the many and serious reasons why the Pocketwatch must not be used anymore." She lowered her chin and peered over the top of her glasses. "Do you finally understand?"

Claudia looked away from the Farnsworth screen. "No more trips. Understood." She pushed a strand of jet-black hair behind her ear. "So, could you tell Artie that I delivered the rest of the stuff to the Bunker?"

Artie took the Farnsworth. "Thank you, for retrieving the inventory I requested," he said. "I know we're in a hurry to get ready, but it's not like you to leave such a mess on your way through the Warehouse."

"What?" Claudia asked.

"You've triggered the motion detectors," Artie said, "all over the Warehouse, practically. And you've even set off a few artifact disturbances."

"No, I haven't," Claudia said. "I haven't been all over the Warehouse, either."

Mrs. Frederic looked over Artie's shoulder at the large computer screen. _In the last few hours, several people have been busy around the Warehouse. Very busy._

Artie sighed and studied the system indicators. "For example, the last location of recorded activity was in the Invisibility Aisle."

"I didn't go over there," Claudia said. "I was nowhere near there. I went to the World War 2 sector, to fetch the stuff you wanted, and took it all back to the Cold War Bunker."

"I know how fast you move," Artie said. "Are you sure you didn't roam farther in your errands?"

"Yes," Claudia said. "My path, with a pushcart, from the World War 2 sector to the Bunker would be my only trail through the motion sensors. After I finished setting up in the Bunker, I came up here to the Portal area, to get ready."

Artie frowned as he typed on the keyboard. "If you're over there, and Mrs. Frederic and I are here, then who is in the other sectors, setting off the motion sensors?"

His words startled her. _Who indeed, _she thought. _Who is setting off the motion sensors?_

Claudia shrugged. "Wasn't me. I know some inventory fell off the shelves earlier, because the artifact cannonballs jolted the Warehouse. I'm sure that disturbed some of the artifacts."

"Hmm," Artie said. "I'll see if the system can account for our whereabouts." On the screen, he opened a list of time-dated entries from the security logs.

"We have lots of extra people," Claudia said, "and Regents crowding us today."

"Too many people," he grumbled.

"What about Leena?" Claudia asked. "For the motion detectors, I mean. Isn't she collecting inventory, too?"

"Not anymore," Artie said. "I asked Leena to stay in the main office. She's helping to keep all of our guests contained in the office and out of our way."

_Why can't I get a clearer sense of what's happening inside the Warehouse?_ Mrs. Frederic closed her eyes. _Is it interference from the Barrier? Or from the huge amount of Neutralizer? _She sighed tiredly. _Or from my own fears? _

Artie tapped the keys at the computer terminal. "First, I'll rule out our known locations and pathways, and see what's left." He studied the screen. "OK. From the paths of activity detected by the motion sensors, I've subtracted our movements. Now I'll check the security cameras in the activity areas. Maybe one of the cameras got a picture of what's happening."

Mrs. Frederic checked her wristwatch. _Sykes, and his Artifact-Bomb, will arrive soon enough. I don't have time for major artifact disturbances, too._

"No," Artie said slowly. "That can't be right."

Mrs. Frederic stepped closer to the computer monitor. "You found something?"

"One of the camera shots," he said, "might be footage of a person." He pointed at the screen. "Look."

In the paused frame of black-and-white video, she could see the shadowy figure of a man. _Who could that be? _

"I'm looking for another camera shot," Artie said, working through the system files. "We need a clearer picture."

Another black-and-white video began to play, and Artie paused it. "Oh, no," he said. "No, no, no."

The still video frame showed the face of an older man with dark hair.

She glared at the picture on the video monitor. "MacPherson."

"But why," Artie asked, "would his ghost set off the motion detectors now? And how can a ghost look solid enough to be filmed by our security cameras?"

"Because he's not a ghost anymore," Mrs. Frederic said. "MacPherson is alive."


	56. Ch 56

**Chapter 56 - not entirely new - posted March 23** (Previously ch. 53, second scene). Moved here for story chronology reasons.

Chapter 57 (all NEW) - _will be posted March 25_ (Monday)

* * *

Author's Note: I revised the beginning of this chapter.

* * *

_Myka is following me, and she will find me. _

Helena kept her face turned to the taxi window. The city streets of Hong Kong were crowded with noisy automotive vehicles of every shape and size. Against the blur of the traffic, she shut her eyes. _At least, Myka is following me. _

From the airport, their journey in the large taxi van took them through Hong Kong, out of the city and farther, to Tai Po. Although she kept her back to the others, and kept her eyes shut, Helena could not escape the city noise or the voice of Walter Sykes. She heard him angrily directing the driver of their taxi.

Already weary from their long airplane flight, she struggled to keep up her spirits. _When Myka and Pete inevitably catch up to us, the fight can begin again. Then we will outnumber Tyler and Sykes. We must find some way to outmaneuver Sykes, and capture the controlling artifact._

Behind their taxi, a large truck blasted its horn, startling Helena's tired nerves.

Sykes shouted at their driver, urging him to go faster.

_I am trapped._ She held her hands together tightly. _My situation is hopeless. If only Myka and Pete had retrieved the Janus Coin sooner, we might have outrun Sykes. If only they had retrieved Emily Lake sooner. _A tear slipped down her cheek, and she wiped it away.

Out of habit, she clutched her locket. But this time, holding it reminded her of standing in the woods, saying farewell to Myka and Claudia.

_No, _she scolded herself, _I am not completely helpless. I must concentrate on the future. Although I cannot presently see how I might protect Claudia, Mrs. Frederic had some reason in sending her dream-message. _She took a deep breath. _Mrs. Frederic called me 'Agent Wells.' She expects my assistance as an experienced agent, and she shall have it._

Once they reached Tai Po, Sykes directed the taxi driver on a sort of treasure hunt for some inexact location. Apparently, Sykes sought an ancient building, but he worked from incomplete information and vague clues.

_Myka is highly observant, and a clever thinker. When she and Pete arrive, they will track down Sykes and our location. _She held her locket tightly. _Myka is a careful planner. She will have a plan of action in mind. I will do everything in my power to assist her._

Finally, several hours after they had landed at the airport, Sykes indicated they had arrived at their true destination. After retracing the same three streets and searching the facades of every building, Sykes ordered the taxi driver to stop.

Peering out the taxi window, Helena thought the buildings along this street all looked the same. _Modern and dull, with harshly glowing light fixtures. This does not look promising._

After disembarking from the taxi, Helena and Tyler followed Sykes through the front door of the building.

"This is the place?" Tyler asked. "You were looking for a restaurant? Are we going to eat?"

Sykes smirked at him. "Maybe later." Sykes pointed across the restaurant dining room. "That way, through the back door."

Past the door, they made their way through several adjoining rooms. One storage room had high stacks of cardboard boxes. The next room was dimly lit and stocked with packages of food.

Helena was reminded of her meeting in another storage room, with Myka, Pete, and Claudia. Reflexively, she clutched her locket. _Now I know why Sykes wanted to capture me. He expects me to open the Chess Lock. But this building is obviously modern. Caturanga's device does not seem to be here._

The third room they entered was comparatively dark, and Helena realized that Sykes had stopped. The far wall had no door. _Dead end, _she thought.

Sykes turned on a flashlight and handed another one to Tyler, who stood beside his wheelchair. "See all these markings on the wall?" Sykes said. "Look for a picture of an eye."

As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Helena realized the dead end was not a wall. It was solid rock. _This rock-face looks quite ancient. Perhaps this is not such a dead end after all._ She stepped back, purposely keeping her distance behind her captors.

"What's the point?" Tyler asked. "We can't go any farther."

"This wall," Sykes said, "has a door, somewhere, and we're going to find it."

_Sykes searches for a hidden entrance._ Quickly, she glanced around the room. _If our journey leads somewhere else, how will Myka find us? _As she clenched her locket in her hand, an answer occurred her. _My locket. Christina's locket. If I leave behind my dearest possession, Myka will see that our situation is desperate._

While Sykes and Tyler studied the markings on the wall, she quickly pulled her necklace over her head and set the locket down on the ground at her feet. She stood upright, moved forward a few steps, and took a deep breath.

"It's an Egyptian symbol," Sykes said to Tyler. "The Eye of Horus."

_The Eye of Horus. The symbol used by Regents._ Helena stared at the wall in fear. _Sykes searches for something hidden by the Regents themselves. What terrible danger lies behind this ancient stone?_

"Miss Wells, come here," Sykes said. He found the Eye of Horus, and Tyler pushed against the symbol with his finger.

Slowly a large portion of the rock-face separated and slid aside. But this open doorway revealed only darkness beyond it.

_I should not have left my locket, after all,_ she thought. _Myka should not follow me into this darkness. She must recognize my locket as a warning to stop and turn back._

Helena followed Sykes and Tyler through the opening. By the lights they carried, she walked carefully along the dark passageway. Behind her, she heard the heavy stone block slide across the floor, and close with frightening finality.

The path they followed sloped downward, through ancient hallways. _We're going underground. How much further must we descend into darkness? Into Sykes's madness?_

As they entered another doorway, Helena recognized the musty, aged smell. _This is some sort of ancient tomb._

Helena's spirit sank into despair as she peered into the large, darkened room. _Don't follow me, Myka. Sykes has led us into madness and death. I'm sorry, Myka. Please don't follow me._


	57. Ch 57

_edited June 5, __for clarity & continuity - added a brief paragraph to show Sykes brought his baseball bat with him_  


* * *

.

"That was not supposed to happen." Myka checked her wristwatch. "This timeline is getting worse."

Pete put the Farnsworth back in his jacket. "I can't believe it. MacPherson is alive. Again." He sighed tiredly. "And for MacPherson to return today, of all days. That's just rude."

Their taxi jerked to a halt, and Myka glanced up to see their driver wave a fist at another vehicle. Because of the clear plastic partition between the front and back seats, however, the driver's shouts were muffled.

From the Hong Kong airport, they had made steady progress through the crowded city streets. _Once we reach Tai Po, we'll gain a little time, because we know the exact location of the restaurant. We just can't be late._

She caught herself biting her fingernail. "Artie figured MacPherson's reappearance is a side-effect, from the Phoenix."

"Yeah," Pete said, "but that's just so wrong. Bad Guys should stay dead. We need another new rule."

Myka dug into her messenger bag, retrieved a notebook, opened it, and wrote a note.

"You know," he said, "you don't have to write down all my great ideas. I'll remember that one."

"No, I remembered another important detail," she said.

Pete nodded. "Such as, shoot MacPherson?"

"Already covered," she said, "under my current rule, 'Kill the Bad Guys.'" She jotted down another phrase.

"More notes for H.G.?" he asked.

"Helena has a lot of catching up to do, in a short amount of time," she said. "Between instructions about our immediate future, and explanations about what happened in the previous timeline, my mental list of vital details is getting crowded."

She turned another notebook page and found her schedule of anticipated timeline events. She added a notation: _Leave the Portal open?_

For a moment, she pictured standing near the Portal with Helena, Pete, and Artie. _We thought we'd won the battle._

"Also," she said, "after we save the day, today, you owe Helena a big hug."

"A hug. Why?" he asked.

"Because you hugged her before, in the previous timeline. When the Portal closed and Sykes died with it, you were really relieved."

"OK, I'll hug H.G." Pete shrugged. "If we survive all this, I'll be so happy, I might even hug Mrs. Frederic." He frowned in thought. "No, that's not such a good idea. Don't write that down."

She scanned her schedule of the near future. "As soon as you and I get down into the Sanctum, we just have to replay the steps we went through in the previous timeline. That gets us through the Chess Puzzle and through the Portal, back into the Warehouse." She nodded to herself. "We just follow the plan, one step at time."

"But this time, you know how to win at Death Chess," he said.

"Please. I asked you not call it that," she said. "It's a Chess Puzzle."

"But you know how to move the pieces this time," he said, "so you can skip the scary threatening part, right?"

"No," she said, "I can't just give the answer away, not in front of Sykes. Sykes's big secret was the existence of the Portal, and that it opens into Warehouse 13. Now we know about the Portal, too. But Sykes cannot find out how much we know. He can't suspect anything."

Myka took a deep breath. "He thinks we're pawns. We'll replay the Chess Puzzle, just like before, and Helena will figure out the solution."

Pete shook his head. "I'm not so sure that's our best plan. I think this time, I should sit at the table for Scary Chess. Then you and H.G. can tell me how to move the pieces."

"What? No," she said. "We know exactly what to do to get out of the Sanctum. We have do it the same way as before."

"A gun pointed at your head," he said. "And a big axe hanging over your head." He grimaced. "Right there, I have two big problems with this plan."

She studied his face. _Pete knows how scary this will be, and he wants to take my place_.

"Sorry, partner," she said, "but our meeting in the Sanctum can't change. As scary as this part will be, for us, and for Helena, it will also be fairly short. Plus, we don't have a choice. Since Sykes has the DeMille Crop, he'll force me to sit at the table. Sykes will choose me."

She watched as Pete bowed his head and fidgeted with his wristwatch. _And then, in the Warehouse, Sykes will try to kill Pete. Kill all of us. So I will kill Sykes, before he can hurt anyone else. Case closed._

Pete reached over and hugged her. "But hey, we're all going to live to be 80 years old. So we'll be fine, right?"

"Right," she said. "We can do this. We just have to get through this and get back into the Warehouse. One step at a time."

After glancing at the city traffic around them, Myka stared at the seconds hand on her wristwatch as it ticked. _One step at a time._

_._

* * *

.

As Sykes led them into the underground chamber, Helena had recognized the odor of an ancient tomb, so she expected to see a few old bodies.

Instead, she was shocked to see a large and uneven pile of skeletons. _Their skulls, _she noted. _All of their skulls have been cracked._

She turned to stare at the large table with a chessboard on its surface. _Some pieces are already in position. _She frowned in thought. _And something is wrong about that large chair._

The movement of Sykes's wheelchair caught her eye, and she saw him clutching the Crop in one hand, while he maneuvered his chair-controls with the other. Slung from the back of his chair was a large canvas bag, and out of it protruded the end of his baseball bat. _The DeMille Crop, and his wooden bat. This doesn't bode well._

"Whoa," Tyler said loudly. "That axe is huge."

Quickly Helena glanced at Tyler, who pointed at the ceiling.

She raised her head and saw, above the table, a metallic mechanism with large gears and one large axe-head. _Their skulls were cracked. _Her pulse quickened. _They died playing this chess game. _

Sykes drove his wheelchair further and parked near the side of the chess table. "Welcome to the ancient Regent Sanctum. According to my sources, this place was used by the Regents of Warehouse 7, in the 1200s."

"This room looks empty." Tyler glanced around. "So where's the valuable artifact?"

"That's why I brought Miss Wells," Sykes said. "She's going to help me get what I want."

Helena glared at him. "Since that was 600 years before my time, I know nothing about Warehouse 7. And I know practically nothing about Chinese history, of any era. I cannot help you."

"But you knew Caturanga," Sykes said. "When the Regents finally sealed up this place, they had Caturanga design the lock."

She turned to stare at the chess pieces on the table. "This game is already underway."

Sykes smirked at her. "To play this, you defend the king, get him out of check, and win the game. Then the lock opens."

"But I don't know how to open it." Helena shook her head. "I have never seen this Chess Lock before."

"Oh, I'm quite sure," Sykes said, "that you, Miss Wells, are the key to opening this lock."

She took a deep breath as she studied the positions of the chess pieces. "If Caturanga designed this puzzle, its solution will require a great deal of time and analysis to discover."

Sykes held the DeMille Crop in his hands. "You have to win the game in three moves."

She gaped at him. "Three moves? That's impossible."

Sykes reached into his coat, pulled out a pistol, and set it on the edge of the chess table.

The sight of the weapon startled Helena, and she blurted out, "You brought a firearm?"

"I brought more than one." Sykes pointed at the table. "This gun is for you."

"I detest guns," she said. "And why would you give a gun to me? I'm a hostage."

Sykes gripped the DeMille Crop in both hands and bent the artifact.

_Oh, no. _She looked down at her limbs as they glowed with the artifact's energy. _No, I don't want the gun._

She watched helplessly as Sykes, controlling her arms and hands, forced her to pick up the gun.

"Tyler," Sykes said. "Take your seat at the chess table."

"What?" Tyler frowned in confusion. "She's the chess player. She's supposed to play the game."

"Sit in the chair, Tyler."

"No way," Tyler said angrily. "I'm not sitting underneath that huge axe. It's too dangerous."

Shimmering with artifact energy, Helena's arms raised, and her hands aimed the gun at the young man's head.

Tyler froze, his eyes fixated on the weapon.

"Sit down," Sykes said. "We'll play some chess while we wait. Agents Bering and Lattimer are on their way to join us."

Staring at her own hands, Helena's eyes filled with tears. _Oh, no. When Myka arrives, I'll be holding this gun. _

This gun felt heavy in her hands, familiar. Momentarily, she remembered standing in Yellowstone, holding another gun. Myka's voice was filled with bitterness as they argued at gunpoint. _I betrayed Myka. I betrayed all of them._

She blinked back more tears. _When Pete sees me holding this gun, what if he assumes the worst? What if Pete believes I'm helping Sykes, working for him, willingly? What if Myka believes that, too? _

As the young man sat down, Helena watched her hands aim the gun. _I'm sorry, Myka. It seems we're forever destined to meet at gunpoint._

_._

* * *

.

In Tai Po, their taxi finally stopped in front of the Chinese restaurant. Myka and Pete ran into the restaurant, through the dining room, out the back door, and through the storage rooms.

With their flashlights shining, they entered the last storage room and found the stone wall.

_We're finally here. We cannot be late._ Myka checked her wristwatch. "Compared to the previous timeline, we're about two minutes behind." Quickly, she searched the floor for Helena's locket.

Pete focused his flashlight on the stone wall and studied the ancient markings. "We're not late. We're almost there."

_Helena's counting on us to find her._ With her flashlight, she moved toward the corner of the darkened room. _I know she will leave her locket for me to find. Her locket must be here. _

"Looking for the Eye of Horus symbol," Pete said as he examined the wall, "about 5 feet off the ground."

The beam of her flashlight hit on something shiny. _The locket. She's here. _

"Here." She picked up the necklace. "Here's Helena's locket." She slid the chain over her head, and hid the locket inside her white button-down shirt. "So far so good."

"And here's the Eye of Horus," he said. "I'm pressing the button. Ready?"

They watched as the heavy door slid open, revealing the passageway. He turned to look at her somberly.

She nodded and patted his shoulder. "OK. One step at a time. Here we go."

Myka stepped through the opening. _Now we go down, through the dark hallways. _Pete followed her quietly with his flashlight beaming ahead of their footsteps.

They followed the hallway as it sloped lower and curved. _Now Tyler loses the chess game._

Suddenly, in the distance, they heard voices shouting. The gears of the lock mechanism clunked heavily. They heard a loud thud, followed by silence.

"Ugh," Pete whispered. "Too late for Tyler."

_Now,_ she thought, _Sykes shouts because he knows we've arrived._

"First show's over," Sykes shouted. "Bering and Lattimer, come on down."

Standing behind the wall of the hallway, she nodded at Pete. _Now we go into the Regent Sanctum. I find Helena, alive and well. _

Pete drew his gun as she drew hers. _Next, Helena points Sykes's gun at me. _

She took a deep breath as they stepped around the corner and entered the large room. _Next, Helena shoots at me. _Slowly they walked down the stairway. _The bullet grazes my left arm and it really stings._

Myka heard the sharp pop of a gunshot.

Searing pain throbbed in her left arm. _Wait. Why does this hurt worse than I remember?_

Pete and Helena's voices called her name, but she was distracted by the pain.

Hazily, she looked down at her arm. _Blood. Why is there more blood than last time?_

The room looked blurry. _This is not right. _Helena's figure looked blurry, too, and Myka blinked to clear her vision. _Is this gunshot wound worse? _

_But I had it all planned out. _She felt herself sway on her feet, imbalanced. _I have a plan._

She felt Pete's arms wrap around her waist and set her down.

_That was not supposed to happen,_ Myka thought. _This timeline is getting worse._


	58. Ch 58

THANK YOU, regular readers and followers, for sticking with my (incredibly long) fanfic novel. Thank you, especially, to the wonderful commenters! I have really enjoyed hearing from you :)

**Chapter 58 - you are here **(April 6)**  
**

next chapter - (estimated time of arrival) April 20, Saturday

_future chapters - my novel definitely has an ending, but we will not reach that ending before season 4.5 airs (in the U.S.) on april 29. On the upside, in my novel, season 4 never happened ...  
_

_._

* * *

.

_MacPherson is playing the Long Game. _Mrs. Frederic glared at the pictures on the computer monitor. Several security cameras had recorded the intruder inside Warehouse 13. All the freeze-framed videos showed James MacPherson, alive.

_But he should have fled when he had the chance. Causing trouble inside my Warehouse is a game MacPherson will lose. _

"OK." Artie closed his Farnsworth. "Claudia assures me, she is out of harm's way, somehow. Leena has locked down the main office to protect all the people up there."

"But where is MacPherson now?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said. "But at some point, he'll want to leave Warehouse 13. And if he can't get out through the front door, I think he'll use the original doorway, up in the mountainside."

"In the meantime," she said, "MacPherson has roamed freely throughout the Warehouse, perhaps for several hours." She clenched her jaw. _Loose inside my Warehouse, collecting powerful artifacts to use against us._

Artie groaned and shook his head. "Since we know he's been disturbing artifacts, then he was the person the system detected in the Invisibility Aisle. That means MacPherson went to reclaim his favorite artifact-sword."

"The _Honjo Masamune_," she said, "and with it, the power to make himself completely invisible." _If MacPherson hasn't tried to leave the Warehouse yet, what is he doing?_

"So, what do we do now?" Artie checked his wristwatch. "Not much longer, until Sykes arrives with Pete and that bomb. We have to get back to the Portal area right away."

_Time to put an end to MacPherson's Long Game._ She adjusted her scarf over the Aegis of Athena she wore around her neck. "You go to the Portal, as planned. Meet Sykes, and give him the Collodi Bracelet."

He frowned in confusion. "What?"

"You and Claudia are prepared to deal with the Artifact-Bomb."

"Yes," he said, "but what about you? Where are you going?"

Mrs. Frederic glanced up at the screen, at the face of her nemesis. "To stop MacPherson."

.

* * *

.

At the end of the Sanctum stairway, Myka sat, resting. She took another drink from the water bottle Helena carried in her messenger bag.

With Sykes's gloating permission, Pete had retrieved the water, helped her remove her black jacket, and bandaged the large gash in her arm. "You're gonna have a cool scar," Pete had whispered.

Illuminated by the artifact energy, Helena stood watch over her, perpetually holding her at gunpoint.

Myka could feel the physical and mental shock wearing off._ The pain in my arm may feel like it's killing me, but the actual damage is limited. _She took another deep breath. _And I did not come all this way just to let Sykes disrupt my plan. _

She glanced across the room as Pete dragged Tyler's corpse over to the frighteningly large pile of skeletons. Pete had taken off his jacket and collar shirt, and she was glad to see the Iron Shadow's mask emblazoned on his T-shirt.

Unable to ignore the throbbing pain in her left upper arm, she looked down at her stained white sleeve. _This could have been worse_, she reminded herself. Her wounded arm was wrapped up with cloth from Pete's formerly blue shirt. _The bleeding has stopped, and I'm still conscious. _She glanced up at Helena's quivering arms and tear-filled eyes. _And my vision is clear again._

"Myka," Helena whispered. "I'm so sorry."

_I wish I could tell you everything I know._ Myka stared back at her kindly and nodded slightly. "I know you didn't do this. I'll be fine. We can survive this. I promise."

Before Helena could respond, Sykes shouted, "I told you before, 'no talking.'"

Myka turned to glare at Sykes, and at the controlling artifact he held in his hands. _He's so sure he's going to win this game. _She looked at his wheelchair, where she knew the Artifact-Bomb was hidden inside the seat. _But his time has almost run out._

As she had requested of him for their plan, Pete had not spoken to Sykes since they entered the Sanctum. _Like last time, we have to be ignorant pawns. Sykes must not find out that we know all his secrets. _Finished with his terrible chore, Pete stood upright and exhaled loudly.

With the DeMille Crop, Sykes pointed Helena's gun at Pete and moved her halfway across the floor toward the chess table.

_Time to get this plan back on track. _She stood up and took a deep breath. _Now we repeat our conversation. _"I don't understand. Why is there a torture device in the Regent Sanctum?"

"It's not a torture device," Sykes said. "It's a lock."

_I'm standing in the wrong place._ Slowly she moved across the room. _I was standing near Helena, when Sykes chose me to sit at the table._

"It was invented by a man named Caturanga," Helena said nervously. "He was rather the 'Claudia' of Warehouse 12, and my teacher."

Myka stood next to the table, but she kept her eyes on Sykes. "That's why you needed Helena," she said. "To open it. She's the only living person who knew this Caturanga."

Sykes nodded smugly. "The pieces are set so the player's in check. You win the game, and the lock opens. You lose the game," he pointed up at the axe, "and your skull opens."

"When the Regents shut down the Sanctum a century ago," Helena said, "Caturanga designed the lock."

"Now the secret to opening it is not in Caturanga's journals," Sykes said, "but he writes a lot about Miss Wells here. His favorite student." He pointed one end of the riding crop at her. "I think she knows about it."

Helena looked at Pete and Myka. "Caturanga taught me a thousand things," she said, "but I have never seen the Chess Lock before. I don't know how to open it."

_One step at a time._ She listened carefully as they repeated their conversation from the previous timeline. _Next, Helena is going to grab me and force me to sit at the chess table._

"I know." Sykes pointed toward the table. "And you clearly demonstrated that with young Tyler here."

"You did that," Helena said bitterly. "I tried to stop you." Earnestly, she looked from Pete to Myka. "I swear it."

Suddenly, Pete spoke up. "H.G., it's all right. You're a pawn in Sykes's game. We're all pawns."

"Pawns are expendable." Sykes smiled coldly at Pete.

_What? No. _Myka watched Sykes's expression. _No, leave Pete alone. I have to be the one to play chess. Choose me. _"You're lying," she said loudly, "because we're not expendable." She glared at Sykes, willing him to focus on her. "Until this lock is opened, you can't continue your plan. You're counting on us to solve this puzzle. That makes us valuable."

Sykes smirked at her. "Interesting idea, Agent Bering. The safety of your valuable head may be a better incentive for Miss Wells."

With a twist of the DeMille Crop, Sykes directed Helena to grab Myka roughly by her right arm.

"No," Helena shouted, as she shoved Myka into the large chair.

Myka heard Pete call her name. As she sat, she felt the metal clamp close around her throat. The chair rotated until she faced the chess table.

"Now with someone in the chair you care about," Sykes taunted Helena, "maybe your memory will come back."

Above them, the gears clanked heavily and turned into the reset position. In front of Myka, the chess pieces slid back into position on the board, ready to replay the game.

_OK, just follow the plan._ She tried to steady her breathing. _One step at a time._

Helena frowned at Sykes. "Have you considered," she said angrily, "that we might be unlocking an artifact deemed too dangerous to be kept in Warehouse 7?"

_Yes, now we repeat our conversation. Last time, something we said must have jogged Helena's memories of Caturanga. Remember, change the rules._ "She's right, you know," Myka said. "The Regents must have had a reason to keep people out."

Sykes pointed the DeMille Crop at her. "Don't tell me about the Regents, or the reasons," he said. "You have one choice," he told Helena. "Open the lock, or she's going to die."

Myka looked up at Helena's expression. _She looks so lost_. _Did she look this way last time? _Her pulse quickened. _How can I keep Helena on the right track without giving away the whole plan? _

"You can solve this, Helena," she said gently. "In this situation, what would Caturanga do?"

Helena looked sadly at the chess board. "Caturanga's passion. We played every day, for years."

"And because you're a genius," Sykes said, "you beat him all the time."

"Not once," Helena said.

Myka watched Helena's expression turn to distress. _No, you cannot lose your nerve. You know how to solve this puzzle. Change the rules._

Sykes twisted the artifact, and moved Helena. "All right," he said. "Time to make a move."

Helena searched the chess board. "With Tyler, I chose the King's Gambit. Caturanga would have expected that." Her voice trailed off.

_Same strategy she tried last time. That's a good sign. _Myka watched Helena's face as she studied the pieces on the table. _Yes. Concentrate on Caturanga_. _Change the rules. _

"Perhaps," Helena said hesitantly. "Yes, the Dragon's Variant."

_We're still on the right track, Helena. Keep going._

"Myka," Helena struggled to sound confident. "King's knight to E-6."

Myka took a deep breath, reached out her hand over the chess board, and moved the knight into position. _Now the first move fails to open the lock._

The Chess Lock responded and took out her knight.

"Check." Myka looked up as the gears made a loud clunk and the axe slipped lower by one notch. _We only have two moves left. _

She glanced up at Helena. _She looks so frightened. What if she doesn't remember the solution by the third move? _Her pulse pounded. _But how can I give Helena the solution without Sykes getting suspicious?_

"Queen's bishop," Helena said, "to H-4."

_Same move as before. Is Helena remembering? Or should I intervene? _Myka bit her lip.

_We still have one move left. _She slid the bishop across the board. _Now Helena doubts she can solve this puzzle, before she remembers._

The Chess Lock responded and took out her bishop.

"Check," Myka said. The gears clunked again and the axe slipped lower.

"I don't know what else to do." Helena's arms trembled as she held up the gun. "I'm sorry, Myka. I don't know how to win this game."

_If she thinks we've lost, she won't remember to change the rules. Has Helena given up? _She looked at Helena's anguished expression. _She can't bear this any longer. Neither can I. _

"Helena," she said calmly. "We can't follow the rules and win."

Helena's eyes overflowed with tears she was powerless to wipe away.

Myka blinked back her own tears. "Because it's not a chess game at all. It's a puzzle."

_Try to sound like you're figuring this out as you go, _she told herself. "Puzzles can be solved." She nodded at Helena. "Caturanga taught you how to solve puzzles, and solve problems, even if it meant breaking the rules."

_Sykes thinks he's the king of this game. _Myka glared down at the opponent king piece sitting across from her on the chess board. _Change the rules. _

She looked up at Helena. "If this is a puzzle," Myka said slowly, "and not a game, then the rules don't apply. So, I'll change the rules. I'll use my queen, and I'll make it checkmate."

Startled, Helena looked at the board and back to her, wide-eyed. "No, Myka, you cannot move your queen like that."

"Yes." Myka nodded and gave her a small smile. "Yes, I can. Change the rules."

_This is a new timeline._ She reached for her queen piece. _This time, the queen defeats the enemy king. _She slid her queen across the board to the opposing piece, and knocked over the king. "Checkmate," she said.

Above her head, the machinery clanked as the gears ratcheted in reverse and the axe retracted.

Myka sighed in relief. _I'm going to defeat Sykes, too. His game is almost over. _From around her throat, the metal clamp opened. _This time, we win. _

The ground under them shook. She watched as Sykes retrieved his phone and called Marcus to launch another artifact cannonball.

Wearily, Myka got up from the chair. She moved to stand near the wall, opposite where the Portal would appear. She tried to give Helena a reassuring smile.

Loud rumbling seemed to shake the entire Sanctum. Sykes turned his wheelchair toward the wall and he waited for the Portal to open.

_Pete probably shoots us with the Tesla, but I don't want to fall down. _Against the wall, Myka sat down on the ground. She nodded at Pete. _One step at a time._

Pete nodded back. Suddenly, he knocked the gun out of Helena's illuminated hands. "You guys, run," he shouted.

Sykes turned in his seat, and gripping the DeMille Crop, transferred its controlling effects to Pete.

Limbs glowing with artifact energy, Pete groaned in protest as he was forced to pull out his Tesla.

Myka noted the shimmering light of the Portal as it spread across the wall. _We're almost home._

With his Tesla, Pete shot at Helena and Myka.


	59. Ch 59

**Chapter 59 - **posted April 20**  
**

_edited June 5 - fixed continuity error by removing the reference to the Supersonic Finger Cymbals _

* * *

.

Myka sat on the stone floor, leaning back against the wall of the ancient Regent Sanctum. "This explanation made much more sense when I was planning it out." Her left arm throbbed with pain, and now her head throbbed, too. "Being Tesla'd doesn't help, either."

Helena sat next to her, holding the piece of paper, retrieved along with Myka's jacket. "Your explanation was quite clear." She frowned at the diagram of the Artifact-Bomb. "But the entire Warehouse? Utterly gone?"

"Yes," she said, "but we can prevent the explosion, because this time, we know everything Sykes has planned."

"And you know all this," Helena said slowly, "because you used a time-travel artifact. Because actual time-travel, with physical relocation, is truly possible."

"Possible, yes," Myka said, "but only for short trips. Just a few days, apparently. The Pocketwatch wouldn't take us back as far as we planned. We were supposed to arrive almost a month ago." She rubbed her forehead. "I was so sure we could reach you, weeks earlier than Sykes."

Helena paused. "Claudia's friend, that young man, Steve, would still be alive."

"Steve has died twice, now. Twice Claudia has been devastated by his death." Myka pointed at the table. "You and I have played this scary chess game twice."

"Ah. That would explain," Helena said, "how you discovered your brilliant solution to Caturanga's puzzle."

"Your brilliant solution, actually," Myka said. "In the previous timeline, you solved the puzzle, and you saved my life."

"Since I have no memory of that," Helena said, "I must take your word for it. I do know that you would not have made such a dangerous journey without some plan of action."

"I have several plans," Myka said, "including changing the Warehouse rules. That reminds me." She searched in her jacket pockets and retrieved another piece of paper. "Here, carry this note with you. It's about your promising future as a Warehouse agent."

"An agent?" Helena took the paper and put it inside her own jacket. "More likely, my future will be spent in the Janus Coin."

Myka shook her head. "No. See, the whole point of our too-short time-travel trip was to change the future, for all of us." She cleared her throat. "This is the part where you volunteer to help me."

"Aha," Helena said. "In that case, I promise, I will do everything in my power to assist you in your undoubtedly brilliant plans." She tried not to smile. "What's our next mission?"

"In the big-picture plan," Myka said, "we save the Warehouse, and we all live to be 80 years old." She took a deep breath. "But first, we have to reset the puzzle and reopen that Portal. One step at a time."

.

* * *

_._

_I've had quite enough of those cannonballs._ Mrs. Frederic stood at the end of a shelving unit and peeked around the corner, into the aisle.

After finding no one, she walked quickly across the aisle into the next row. _I suppose it's too much to hope that the impact of the cannonball, shaking the Warehouse Barrier, sent one of our larger artifacts toppling over onto MacPherson and crushing him. _She adjusted her glasses. _Now I sound like Arthur._

She took a deep breath. _How can I locate MacPherson if I can't sense him, if I can't differentiate between disturbances? _She exhaled slowly. _The huge aqueducts filled with Neutralizer are certainly working to calm the Warehouse. Perhaps the Neutralizer is working too well._

The buzzing sound of her Farnsworth disrupted her concentration completely.

"Irene?" Jane Lattimer asked. "What's happening?"

"Still no sign of MacPherson," she said quietly. "But I will find him. I advise you to remain in the office, with the others."

"Sorry," Jane said, "but I'm already on my way to the Portal area."

Mrs. Frederic frowned at the Farnsworth screen. "Until the agents have secured the Warehouse, it's too dangerous for you to be out here on the floor."

"Dr. Calder is with me," Jane said. "We're going to talk to Sykes as soon as possible."

_A foolish errand,_ she thought. "Now is not the time for more conversation."

"Be careful, Irene," Jane said firmly. "And good luck." The videoscreen went blank.

Mrs. Frederic sighed. _Far too many people are roaming around the Warehouse today. No wonder I cannot concentrate._

_._

* * *

.

Myka sat at the chess table and put some of the pieces back into position.

From across the room, Helena walked back toward her, wearing two messenger bags over her shoulder. "My bag contains a logbook and other supplies. I made some notes for future reference. You brought supplies in yours?"

"I tried to write everything down, too," Myka said. "I didn't want to forget something important. I have twenty more things to tell you, but we don't have time." She studied the chess board. "Did you find the black king?"

"Must remember," Helena said, searching the floor around them. "Tyler's bag must go with us, as well. He had stolen classified files about Claudia, and her brother." She picked up the bag, and another knight piece, from the floor.

Myka took the knight and set it aside. "Claudia has more bags ready for us when we get back inside the Warehouse. This time, when we fight Sykes, we'll all be well armed and well supplied."

Helena circled the table, searching for more chess pieces. "Has Agent Nielsen discovered a way to neutralize the Artifact-Bomb?"

"Nothing definite," Myka said, "but at least this time, we're prepared to change the outcome. Artie and Mrs. Frederic have collected artifacts to use as countermeasures. You and Claudia will be working together to deactivate that bomb." She smiled. "I'm sure that my two favorite scientists can solve this puzzle."

"Just as you and I are solving this puzzle." Helena knelt to the floor and retrieved another chess piece. "Old times. Wells and Bering." She handed the black king to Myka. "Solving puzzles, saving the day."

Myka beamed at her. "Bering and Wells."

Helena's expression turned skeptical.

Myka stifled a laugh. "Actually, for this artifact-mission, your team will have four people. This time, Artie and Mrs. Frederic will be right there with you and Claudia."

.

* * *

_._

_If MacPherson hasn't tried to leave Warehouse 13, he must still be inside._ Mrs. Frederic stared down the empty length of a main aisle.

_If he's still inside, it's because he still wants something._ She turned in the other direction and stared into the distance. _What does MacPherson want?_

She walked past several rows of shelves to the nearest system computer terminal. _In the past, MacPherson wanted artifacts._ On the screen, she opened a menu and typed a search query.

_MacPherson still wants artifacts._ _Obviously he has the Phoenix. _She ran several searches through the inventory database. _It's likely he has stolen the "Honjo Masamune," again. Arthur called it MacPherson's "favorite sword."_

_MacPherson may want to reassemble his collection of artifacts. _She studied the information in front of her. _What were his other favorites? _

In a few moments, she'd compiled a short list, including Edgar Allan Poe's Quill Pen and Notebook, Jack the Ripper's Lantern, and more devices made by Erik Kluger.

_I'll check the locations of those artifacts, _Mrs. Frederic thought, _and see if I can interrupt MacPherson's plans. _

_._

* * *

.

Locked into her seat for the Chess Puzzle, Myka slid her queen piece across the board and knocked over the opposing king. "Checkmate."

Frowning in concern, Helena stood across from her at the edge of the table.

From around Myka's neck, the metal clamp opened. She stood up from the chair as the rumbling noise began in the walls around them. Reflexively, she rubbed her throat, and felt the necklace chain she'd been wearing. _I almost forgot. _"Here's your locket," she said, as she pulled the chain over her head. "Thank you for leaving it for me to find." Myka smiled at her. "Positive proof."

"Proof? Of what?" Helena took the locket, and put it back on.

"I'll explain later," Myka said. "Now when we get through the Portal, you'll cover me until I can put on the Corsican Vest. Then you'll run to the right of the Portal, past 5 rows of shelves, to where your supplies are stashed, and wait for Claudia."

"Five rows." Helena nodded. "Meet Claudia."

Myka studied the stone wall as a spot of light began to glow. "We have to hurry. Sykes is planning to kill Pete. I've got to catch up to them and kill Sykes first."

The patch of light in front of them grew brighter and expanded its circle.

"Are you sure you don't want me to dispatch Mr. Sykes?" Helena asked. "I'd just be adding one more to the body count on my record."

"No," Myka said, "I'm trying to clear your record." The Portal opening expanded to its full height. "No, I'll deal with Sykes. I'm counting on you, with all your genius and experience, to stop that bomb."

Against the shimmering surface of the Portal, Helena laid her palm. "I just hope there's some aspect of my experience with Warehouse 12 that will help us."

Through the Portal, Myka could see into the Warehouse. "I remembered one more thing to tell you. Vitally important." She turned and smiled at Helena. "Welcome home."

Together they stepped through the Portal into Warehouse 13.


	60. Ch 60

_**edited June 15 - ADDED the Timer Countdown**, with actual times_

_edited June 5, for continuity and clarity - added references to Sykes's childhood baseball bat and his gun_

_(June 5) ADDED near the end - Myka took a Purple Goo Gun with her before she left to follow Pete._

* * *

Author's Note:

Confession: This novel has too many storylines, and I find it difficult to keep them from unraveling. But I'll keep writing, because this novel definitely has an ending. :)

.

* * *

.

Just inside Warehouse 13, near the still-glowing Portal, Myka stood beside a shelving unit and buttoned the Corsican Vest she'd put on over her collared shirt.

A few feet farther, at the end of the shelves, Helena stood at the corner and scanned the aisle for anyone approaching. Temporarily, Helena carried Myka's gun in her right hand.

In her left hand, Helena held the note previously affixed to the messenger bag of new supplies for Myka. Claudia had written:_ SCARY REMINDER: MacPherson is alive again inside the Warehouse. He's got the samurai sword that makes him invisible. If you find him, please kill him AGAIN. _The last word was underlined twice.

Myka picked up her black jacket and gingerly put it on, first over her wounded arm.

"Righty ho, then." Helena folded the note paper and stuffed it into her jacket pocket. "With MacPherson alive, the proverbial Moriarty has returned. The game is afoot."

She looked at Myka and arched one eyebrow. "Or is it? On the airplane, I read a collection of Mr. Doyle's stories. Perhaps I am still asleep." She gestured toward the shelves of inventory. "Perhaps all of this is another dream. Should I expect another urgent message from Mrs. Frederic?"

Myka adjusted her jacket, attempting to cover up more of the Corsican Vest. "The good news is that this really is Warehouse 13, and you're really here. The bad news is that the real dangers are compounding, rapidly. My urgent message to you," she said, "is find a way to prevent the Artifact-Bomb from exploding. Meanwhile, the real Mrs. Frederic said she'd meet all of you in the Bunker, eventually."

"My ongoing assignment from Mrs. Frederic is to protect Claudia." Helena checked the aisle again in both directions. "But I can't very well protect Claudia if she isn't here with me."

Myka picked up the new messenger bag and carefully put it over her head so the strap rested on her right shoulder. "Claudia will come and get you, as soon as she can. You're going to go over 5 rows to the stash of supplies, grab a Tesla, and wait for her."

Helena handed the gun back to her. "Sykes is well-armed. He carries at least one gun. And besides the DeMille Crop, he brought along his childhood baseball bat."

"Thanks for the warning."

"Are you sure," Helena pointed at Myka's wounded arm, "about these assignments? Won't you allow me to pursue Sykes?"

Myka shook her head. "I didn't travel all this way to let Sykes interrupt my plan. His vendetta ends, today. I'm going to put an end to Walter Sykes." She sighed tiredly. "But the next step is for me to catch up to Pete and make sure Sykes doesn't kill him."

She watched as Helena reflexively reached up and clasped her locket tightly.

Myka hesitated. _When I leave, Helena will be alone. _

Helena realized Myka was standing still. "What? Why aren't you running off to the battlefield?"

"Because it feels wrong to leave you behind," Myka said. "You'll be here alone."

"But only for a few minutes," Helena said. "Claudia will arrive shortly. Then we will join Artie and Mrs. Frederic. With our combined efforts, we shall have no difficulty saving the day."

"You're right," Myka said. "But this is how I felt, being stuck on the airplane. I hate it that I can't be in two places at once."

Helena smiled. "According to your plan, each of us has a vital role to play." She nodded emphatically. "Off you go, then."

Myka nodded, turned, and ran through the aisles of Warehouse 13.

.

* * *

.

As quickly and quietly as she could, Myka ran through the aisles of shelves toward the section where the Collodi Bracelet was stored. _Next step, catch up to Pete. Chase Sykes away from the Artifact-Bomb. One step at a time._

Running made her arm throb with pain. _Two more rows. Turn right._ She ran along a row of shelves. _Artie and Mrs. Frederic were there to meet Pete and Sykes. Claudia's got them covered. I shouldn't worry so much about Pete._

She bit her lip. _Turn left. Three rows. _She turned into the next row, still running. _At the end of these shelves is the gap where I can see them without being noticed. _She could hear voices talking. _That's Pete._

Suddenly, from beyond the shelves, she heard Pete shout, "No!"

Her heart pounded as she ran. She heard Artie cry out. Pete was yelling now. _Is Pete hurt? _

She heard Artie groaning loudly. _No, no, no._ Tears sprang to her eyes as she raced to the end of the aisle and turned the corner.

Artie lay on the Warehouse floor, moaning. Pete stood over him, holding up a baseball bat. Pete's arms and legs glowed with the artifact energy of the DeMille Crop. _Pete hit Artie? He hit Artie with the bat?_

Sykes stood some distance away from them, holding and twisting the DeMille Crop. _Sykes can stand. He has the Collodi Bracelet._

She saw Pete raise the baseball bat higher, poised to hit Artie again. _No, no, no. _She aimed her gun at Sykes.

Suddenly, from above where Pete stood, a heavy stream of Purple Goo poured down onto his arms, shoulders, and the baseball bat. The glowing light along his arms flickered, as the Neutralizer interrupted the Crop's power.

A second stream of purple Neutralizer poured down onto Sykes and the DeMille Crop. Sykes cried out loudly, as if in pain. He stumbled away to avoid the purple stream, and dropped the Crop onto the floor. Seeing Myka's arrival, Sykes turned and ran away from them, along the shelves and around the corner.

Freed from the artifact's controlling energy, Pete dropped the baseball bat. "Artie!" Pete knelt down beside the older man. "I'm sorry," he said hoarsely. "I'm so sorry."

Artie lay on his left side, groaning and holding his right hip. "My leg." He gasped for breath. "Broken."

As Myka ran toward Artie and Pete, she saw above them, Claudia suspended by a long black cable and descending. In her hand, Claudia hung on to a Grappler Gun. "Artie!" she shouted. Over her shoulders, from long straps, hung two large plastic waterguns.

As soon as Claudia set foot onto the Warehouse floor, she set down the Grappler. She moved closer and knelt beside Artie.

"Claudia," Pete said hoarsely, "you saved Artie's life. You saved mine, too."

"Standing up on top of the shelves," Claudia said, "I was in position and ready to fire. As soon as you brought Sykes into range, I could super-soak him with the Super Soakers." She pointed at a nearby shelf. "Two more Goo Guns, loaded and ready to go, for you and Myka."

Artie moaned, his body quivering with pain.

Claudia wiped the tears off her cheek. "Now we've gotta get Artie to the doctor."

"No," Artie groaned. "No time."

_Think. One step at a time. _Myka glanced over her shoulder to check that Sykes had not returned.

_Now we snag the artifact._ "Claudia, get the wheelchair," Myka said. "The bomb is hidden inside the seat cushion. Pick up the seat, and turn it over."

Claudia stood up and grabbed the seat of the wheelchair. As she held up the black seat cushion and turned it over, Myka could see the embedded Artifact-Bomb, with the glowing numbers of the digital timer.

_Counting down._ Myka shivered. "Take out the bomb container," she said, "and put the seat back in place. Pete, you and I will put Artie into the wheelchair."

Claudia pried out the transparent box, held it in one arm, and replaced the seat cushion in the chair.

Artie moaned as Pete and Myka helped him stand on his left foot. Carefully, they helped him sit in the wheelchair on his left hip.

"The timer!" Artie groaned. "The countdown?"

"Thirty-five minutes," Claudia said, with tears streaming down her face.

"Ah," he growled. "Plenty of time."

Myka looked at the bomb container in Claudia's arms. _The digital timer is counting down. Time to go. _She put a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "Claudia," she said, "you have to go to the Bunker."

"What?" Claudia turned to look at her. "What about Artie?"

"Artie can't go with you," Myka said. "Take the Artifact-Bomb, and go."

Claudia shook her head. "Without Artie or Mrs. Frederic? She went to chase MacPherson. No, I can't do this by myself. I can't."

"Go get Helena," Myka said firmly, "take her to the Bunker, and you two start the countermeasures."

Claudia gaped at her.

Myka nodded. "You and Helena, my two favorite scientists, will be working together. The two of you, together, can solve this. I know you can solve this."

At the sound of voices approaching, Myka and Claudia glanced farther up the row. In the distance, Jane Lattimer and Dr. Vanessa Calder hurried toward them.

"Claudia," Myka said quietly, "you have to leave now, before anyone else interferes. Go get Helena."

Claudia nodded, turned, and ran away, up the empty row.

Myka watched as Jane and Dr. Vanessa approached. _Mrs. Frederic is out in the Warehouse somewhere. Artie's out of the game now. Our team is smaller than I planned. _She took a deep breath.

Artie groaned again in pain and gripped the arms of the mechanized wheelchair.

"Ugh," Pete said in frustration. Myka turned to look at Pete as he grabbed one of the large plastic waterguns and slung the strap over his shoulder. His face was wet with tears, and he stared in anguish at the older man.

Pete shook his head angrily. "I can't stand this," he said. "I'm going to get Sykes." Drawing his handgun, he turned and raced away from them.

"Pete," Myka shouted, "wait!"

As he ran around the corner, out of sight, from behind Myka, Jane Lattimer called out, "Pete!"

Vanessa hurried up next to Artie in the wheelchair, but when she saw his leg, she gasped. "Oh, your leg is broken." Gently, she put one hand on Artie's shoulder. "I'll get you over to the hospital unit as quickly as I can." She put her other hand on the mechanized controls to drive the wheelchair.

_This wasn't supposed to happen._ Myka watched them sadly. _This timeline is going differently, and some events are going badly. What if my plan to fix everything doesn't work?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by Jane Lattimer's voice. "Agent Bering."

Myka rubbed her forehead. _Think. Think rationally. _"Sykes is mobile." She pointed at the artifact on the floor. "But at least, he doesn't have the DeMille Crop anymore." With her foot, she pushed the Crop under the shelving unit, out of sight.

_I've got to regroup, in my head. Think._ Myka mentally checked off her list as she grabbed the remaining Purple Goo Gun from the shelf. _Dr. Calder's got Artie._ _Claudia's got the Artifact-Bomb, and Helena. Now I'm going after Pete. _She shook her head. _We're scattered all over the Warehouse. If we're scattered, we can't work together like we planned. _

She took a deep breath. _My plan isn't working. _Her heart sank. _My plan won't work. Sykes will get away. We'll be lucky just to stop the bomb. _More tears came to her eyes. _We'll be so lucky, just to survive._

"Agent Bering," Jane said again.

Stunned by the realization, Myka stared at Jane and shook her head slowly. "Sykes will get away."

"What? I gave you your orders," Jane said. "Capture Sykes alive."

"Sykes is beside the point, now." Myka stifled a bitter laugh. "Can't you see? This timeline is going badly, just in different ways than before." She took a deep breath. "As of this moment, we have a new plan. Survival. We'll be lucky if we all survive today."

Jane began to speak. "What about ..."

"No," Myka cut her off. "Sykes still wants to kill Pete. I have to go save my partner's life." She turned on her heel and ran up the aisle.


	61. Ch 61

**__****edited June 15 - ADDED the Timer Countdown**, with actual times_ (noted at end of this chapter)_**_  
_**

_edited June 5 - fixed continuity error/discrepancy by removing reference to the Supersonic Finger Cymbals_

_- (June 5) continuity fix - added food and water bottle to Helena's supply bag from Claudia_

* * *

.

Mrs. Frederic frowned at the small box that sat open and empty on the inventory shelf in front of her. _Edgar Allan Poe's Quill Pen and Notebook, gone. _

She glanced up and down the aisle. _Jack the Ripper's Lantern was gone, too. Already stolen by MacPherson. _

_He's had hours to roam the Warehouse and steal more of his favorite artifacts. _She turned and hurried on toward the next sector. _In particular, MacPherson's fondness for the Honjo Masamune troubles me._

Peeking around a corner, she scanned the row for any sign of movement. _How, exactly, would I track down an invisible man?_

_._

* * *

.

Helena shifted the weight of her messenger bag and Myka's, both slung over her shoulder, and carried Tyler's bag in one hand. With another glance up the aisle, she hurried along the rows of inventory as she'd been directed. _Five rows, wait for Claudia._

Arriving at the designated shelving unit, she turned the corner and found a short row, with a dead-end. Just inside the row was a pushcart, and in its empty top tray, she spied a small, yellow square of notepaper, with the handwritten instruction, "Bring cart."

Smiling, she unstuck the Post-It Note from Claudia, and set the three bags onto the cart. At eye-level, she found another note fastened to the support beam of the inventory shelves: "Tesla and purple gloves." Below the note, on a shelf, sat several Teslas, and a small box stuffed with purple gloves. Next to these supplies, a new messenger bag sat with another yellow note affixed: "Supplies for H.G." She chose a Tesla and put it into her jacket, along with a pair of gloves. The other Teslas she added to the cart. She removed the Post-It Note from the bag and added it to her stack of messages from Claudia.

Helena tugged on the strap of the messenger bag, to remove it from the shelf, but realized it was much heavier than she'd expected. _What sort of supplies would weigh so much?_ She left the bag on the shelf and shifted its cover flap.

Inside the bag, she spotted a Grappler Gun. But as she held it in her hands, she paused. _Not my Grappler. _The gun casing was shaped differently, and the anchor was made of material she did not recognize. _A new Grappler. _She beamed at the realization. _Claudia has improved upon my design. Such ingenuity, at a young age. _

Helena thought of her parting words to Claudia, standing in the woods. _How does Claudia not realize the glorious destiny that awaits her? _She set the Grappler aside. _Mrs. Frederic anticipates such a future, so that is why Claudia must be protected._

Next, she retrieved a transparent bottle of water, and several small wrapped packages. _Protein bar,_ she read on the package label. _No, thank you. _

She returned her attention to the unexpected weight of the supply bag. Peering into the bottom of the bag, she saw the larger object and stifled a laugh. After donning her purple gloves, she reached inside, and with both hands, hefted out the dull metal object. _Godfrid's Spoon?_ Amused, she studied the large ladle artifact. _Why would Claudia store an artifact among the supplies? _

Glancing at the shelf, she spotted another Post-It Note, affixed to a notebook: "Agent Manual (Update)."

Quickly, she returned the Spoon and all her supplies into the messenger bag.

"Agent Manual," she whispered. _Why do Claudia and Myka expect me to be an agent again? Why did Mrs. Frederic address me as Agent Wells? _She picked up the notebook.

Tears came to her eyes as she read the note on the first page: "Welcome Home, H.G.!"

_Home indeed, _she thought. _If only I had realized this sooner. _She took a deep breath and quickly read through Claudia's notes. First was a reminder about MacPherson's return and the invisibility artifact he carried.

On the next page, Claudia had sketched a rough diagram of the Warehouse's exterior, with a dome drawn over it, labeled "Barrier." Inside the Warehouse framework was a box labeled "Bunker" and inside that, a box labeled "bomb." Inside and outside the Bunker box, Claudia had drawn small stick-figured people.

On the following page, Claudia had written jumbled notes about the Barrier, which now served to enclose the entire Warehouse. She had listed main points of information about the Barrier and the Artifact-Bomb, and other things they had learned in the previous timeline. Another note about the Bunker included Mrs. Frederic's idea: placing the Artifact-Bomb inside the Bunker might reduce the force of the explosion.

_A massive explosion. Myka said the entire Warehouse was gone. _Helena shook her head. _Frightening. _From her jacket pockets, she retrieved the diagram of the Artifact-Bomb and read further through Claudia's handwritten notes.

Frowning in thought, Helena tried to put the pieces of information together with what Myka had told her about the events of the previous timeline. Suddenly, a question occurred to her. _What about Claudia? _She turned back to the diagram of the Warehouse, and looked at the stick figures. _If the Barrier contains the explosion, it also contains the people inside the Warehouse. _

She closed the notebook and added it to the messenger bag. _Myka and I came through the Portal. Sykes opened that Portal to get into Warehouse 13. It's the only way in or out. _She moved the supply bag onto the cart._ It's too dangerous for Claudia to remain in the Warehouse. _

Helena thought she heard a noise, from beyond the shelves, and drew her Tesla. _I will assist Agent Nielsen in dismantling the bomb. But to ensure her safety, Claudia must leave through the Portal._

The noise grew louder and Helena thought someone was calling her name. She stepped into the aisle and saw Claudia hurrying toward her. But many aspects of Claudia's appearance had changed and for a moment, Helena was speechless.

"H.G.!" Claudia called out, running toward her.

Helena realized Claudia's hair was now as black as her own, and the black coat Claudia wore was too long on her. In her arms, Claudia clutched a box. From straps over her shoulders hung a bag and two other large white objects Helena did not recognize.

"I can't believe you're here," Claudia called hoarsely. "Bring your cart. We've got to go."

As Claudia ran the last few steps, Helena saw that the young woman's face was wet with tears. _Oh, no. Something's gone wrong. _Helena's heart pounded. "What happened? Are Pete and Myka all right?"

Claudia shook her head. "It's Artie. Sykes, he made Pete," she paused, "Pete hit Artie with Sykes's baseball bat, and broke Artie's leg."

Helena exhaled. "But Agent Nielsen is alive then. So, all of you survived the confrontation with Sykes?"

"So far, so good, right?" Claudia wiped another tear from her cheek. "On to the next part of Myka's plan."

_I wish to amend Myka's plan,_ she thought, _and send Claudia safely away from here. When I tell Agent Nielsen this, he will certainly agree with me. _"The next step," Helena said, "is to meet the others and dismantle the bomb, yes?"

"Others?" Claudia shook her head emphatically. "No. Artie's leg is majorly broken. Bad. But the Warehouse doctor is already here, and she's treating him."

"Ah," Helena said grimly, "Agent Nielsen will not be joining us."

"Not Mrs. Frederic, either," Claudia said. "She's off trying to catch MacPherson."

_No Artie. No Mrs. Frederic._ _How can I carry out Myka's plan, or what remains of it? _"Then it's up to us," Helena said slowly, "to deal with Sykes's bomb." _How can I protect Claudia? _She took a deep breath. _I won't be able to protect Claudia, after all. _She glanced up at the ceiling. _Soon the entire Warehouse may be gone, and us with it._

Claudia's voice interrupted her thoughts. "I can't believe you're really here."

Helena looked at her forlorn expression, took a step forward, and hugged Claudia. "I am here, thanks to you and Myka."

"Thanks for the hug," Claudia said quickly, "but, also, you're hugging the Artifact-Bomb."

Startled, Helena let go and took a step back.

"Sorry." Claudia grimaced as she turned over the box in her arms to reveal the glowing numbers of the timer, counting down.

"Right." Helena pointed over own shoulder. "Put that in the cart, I think."

Claudia darted around her and set the small box into the pushcart. "Come on." Claudia pulled on the cart's handle. "Bring this cart, while I grab another one."

Helena took the pushcart and followed Claudia. A few rows farther, Claudia turned into the row. Helena watched from the aisle as Claudia moved past another cart and picked up a bicycle at the dead-end of the short row.

"We need a bicycle?" Helena asked.

"No, something else I stashed." Claudia set aside the bicycle, knelt down, and reached into the lowest shelves. She pulled out an object, long and thin, and then stood up.

Helena stared for a moment. _A sword? That's not standard issue. _She blinked. "Since when do agents of Warehouse 13 carry swords?"

Claudia shrugged. "Starting today? I don't know. Artie had me collecting other artifacts to prepare for the invasion. When I saw Excalibur on the shelf, I decided to add it to our supplies."

"Did you say, Excalibur?" Helena watched as Claudia moved to the second pushcart and added the sword onto its previous contents. "The sword of King Arthur?"

"Yep." Claudia rolled her cart forward. "OK," she nodded, "now we run to the Bunker and get to work."

For a moment, Helena stood still, trying to sort out all that Claudia had told her.

"Oh," Claudia said, "also, I'm really sorry, but on our way to the Bunker, we have to run right past the Bronze Sector."

Still confused about carrying artifacts, Helena stared at her. "The Bronze Sector," she repeated.

"Yeah, sorry if seeing that stuff brings up any bad memories," Claudia said. "But don't worry, you'll never be Bronzed again. Or go back in the Janus Coin, either. Myka and I will make sure you don't." She rolled her pushcart forward. "Come on."

_Running around the Warehouse? Carrying Excalibur and other artifacts? __A bomb that was constructed with an artifact? _She watched Claudia hurry up the aisle with her pushcart. _____This is certainly the most puzzling mission I have ever worked on. _  


She glanced down at the glowing numbers on the bomb's timer. _A puzzle we must solve in 30 minutes. _

Helena pushed her own cart forward and ran after Claudia. _I don't suppose this is another dream? _She glanced behind her as she ran. _Now would be an opportune time for Mrs. Frederic to send new instructions._


	62. Ch 62

**June 15** edited for continuity - fixed reference to House of **Commons**

**.**

* * *

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Myka stood at the corner of an aisle, heart pounding, and tried to catch her breath. _Where is Pete? I can't watch his back if I can't even find him._ The pain in her arm throbbed to a different beat than her heart. _This was not my plan. _

_Where could Sykes have gotten to? Think. _Next to the shelving unit, she noticed the flashing light. She looked up at the red alarm beacon, pulsing its warning signal through the Warehouse aisles. _The system alarm is still on, which means the Barrier is still up. The Artifact-Bomb is still an active threat. _

Momentarily, she saw the memory of being surrounded by the glowing light of the Barrier, and of Helena's triumphant smile. _No, that's not going to happen this time. I'm sure Claudia and Helena can neutralize the bomb. This timeline will be different._

She rubbed her forehead. _Think. To find Pete, I have to find Sykes. So where could Sykes be? _She glanced up the aisle and peered into the distance of the Warehouse inventory. _Last time, Sykes tried to escape through the Portal. _She took a deep breath. _Today is the same scenario, isn't it? He needs to leave the Warehouse before his bomb goes off. _

Myka ran up the aisle. _Maybe I can cut off Sykes, if I can get to the Portal before him._

_._

* * *

.

"No," Helena said. "Myka said the device didn't work properly."

Standing in a cluttered room of the Cold War Bunker, Helena watched as Claudia adjusted her safety goggles and leaned over the worktable. In her purple-gloved hands, Claudia held a small drilling device attached to a long black cable.

"But the Pocketwatch did work," Claudia said, "because we did travel back in time." The whirring sound began and she pressed the drill's point against a corner of the transparent box.

"No," Helena said firmly. "There will be no need for another attempt. We will solve this puzzling problem in front of us, and it will be because of the extensive preparations made by you and Agent Nielsen." She looked over at the large chalkboards to study Artie's handwritten lists of artifacts and notes.

"The Pocketwatch isn't Plan A, of course," Claudia said, "but as a plan of last resort, it's still better than nothing, right? Wouldn't you want another chance to do this over?" She chose another side of the box and drilled against the transparent material.

Helena frowned. "Another chance? To relive the past three days? To be kidnapped and held hostage by Sykes?" She clasped her locket. _To hold a gun to Myka's head?_

"I totally understand," Claudia said. "But if we need another chance. A last resort." The whirring sound continued as Claudia tested the drill against several parts of the container.

_Another chance to shoot Myka, by my own hand? What if next time, I killed her? _Helena picked up the folder and skimmed the pages about artifacts. "We must solve this case here, and now. Surely the solution is here, among all these artifacts and other means you've collected."

Claudia sighed in frustration. "Yeah, but so far, the solution does not include opening the apparently unopenable container made from indestructible artifact-material."

"Your diagram notes," Helena said, "referred to Artifact-Glass?"

"Al Capone's Windshield," Claudia said. "Not even a scratch on this box." She set aside the drill and pointed at the chalkboard. "That's the third drill. You can cross off all the drills."

With a piece of chalk, Helena drew lines through the itemized list. _The blowtorch didn't work, either. _She frowned at the category heading of the list: Open Container. _Nothing seems to work. _She shook her head. _Think rationally. We have many options assembled here in the Bunker. Try another approach. _

"The next category in Artie's notes," Helena said, "is Counteracting Artifacts."

"Right," Claudia said. "These records," she pointed to several phonograph boxes on an adjacent table, "I mean, these audio recordings, have such super-positive powers, we'll need to protect our hearing. Also, I'm going to crank up the sound, really loud." She handed a set of headphones to Helena. "These Warehouse-issue headphones are for complete noise-cancellation."

"Headphones?" Helena asked, as she studied the pair of large padded features.

"Wear it over your head," Claudia said, "so that these completely cover your ears, to block out all sound."

"I recognize the phonographs," Helena said. "So the sound produced by playing these recordings will counteract the Artifact-Bomb?"

"Yes, that's our Plan A," Claudia said. "Artie's theory is that if the container is drowned in sound, the artifact-positivity will neutralize the artifact-hostility in that fragment of masonry."

Claudia moved to another table and swiveled the computer monitor. "The Barrier remains activated while it senses the danger to the Warehouse." She pointed at the graphic showing the outlines of the Warehouse and the protective dome over it. "If the Barrier switches off, we'll know the danger has been neutralized."

"We'll try the old song first," Claudia said, "called 'White Christmas.' The song is about 3 minutes long, so we should see its effect right away." She picked up her own set of headphones. "Don't take off the protective gear until I signal you."

Helena watched as Claudia adjusted the large pads over her ears. Copying Claudia, Helena put on her headphones.

Claudia stood beside one phonograph, and turned on the machine. She glanced at the Artifact-Bomb and turned to stare at the Barrier indicator on the computer screen.

_The file says this song is extraordinarily powerful. Surely this will neutralize the Artifact-Bomb. _For several long moments, Helena stared at the Warehouse Barrier diagram, but the dome's outline did not move.

Finally, Claudia shook her head, moved back to the first phonograph, and then to the other to play the second recording. She stepped over to the chalkboard and pointed at the notation, "Churchill's speech."

Helena turned through the pages in the folder until she found the description of the Artifact-Recording of Prime Minister Churchill's rousing speech. _This speech was given to the House of Commons. _She glanced at the Artifact-Bomb. _The bomb contains a masonry fragment from the House of __Commons_. Agent Nielsen thought these might cancel each other out. An excellent theory. 

She checked the Barrier indicator. _The speech recording is also longer than the song, therefore potentially more powerful. _

After several minutes, Claudia looked over at her with a fearful expression and shrugged.

_It's not working. This recording has no effect, either._ Helena looked from the Artifact-Bomb back to the Barrier indicator. _We must keep trying._

From the worktable, Helena grabbed a pen, turned over the file page, and wrote on it, "Try both, at the same time."

Claudia read her note, nodded enthusiastically, and quickly moved back to the phonographs to replay the recordings.

_The song is 3 minutes long._ Helena watched as Claudia turned to stare at the Barrier Indicator._ If their combined power is strengthened, we should see this effect right away._

The dome outline over the Warehouse diagram remained solid and still. _Not even a flicker, _Helena thought.

Claudia shook her head slowly. She went to the phonographs and switched them off.

After Claudia removed her headphones, Helena did likewise.

"That was Plan A," Claudia said hoarsely. "Now what?"


	63. Ch 63

Author's note: For continuity and clarity, I made slight edits to the following chapters: ch. 8 (Myka's SIG-Sauer); ch. 10, 43, 54 (Pete's sketch artist abilities); ch. 59, 61 (removed ref. to Supersonic Cymbals); ch. 51, 57, 60 (Sykes brought baseball bat).

**These edits do NOT** change the plot in any way. **Basically, **you need to know that everyone carries guns, gadgets, artifacts, and supplies (and emotional baggage!), while MacPherson carries his favorite sword.

Also, in ch. 60 & 61, I **added a timer "countdown**," with actual times (one reference per chapter).

If you have questions, or notice other continuity problems, please send me a PM :)

* * *

POSTING SCHEDULE

**ch. 63** - June 15, Saturday (today) - **you are here**

ch. 64 - **ALSO** posting June 15

ch. 65 - June 17 (Monday)

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* * *

.

Near the still-glowing Portal, Myka stood at the computer terminal and watched Leena's face on the monitor.

"No," Leena said, "no one has gone through the Portal. Or at least, no one was detected by the motion sensors or the surveillance cameras."

"OK." Myka rubbed her forehead. "So where did Sykes go? And where's Pete?"

"I'll start cross-checking the motion sensor logs against the camera footage," Leena said, "and see who I can locate. But that will take time."

Myka glanced at the nearby Warehouse system light, flashing its red warning signal. _The Barrier is still up. _"Any word from Claudia and Helena?"

Leena shook her head sadly.

_We may run out of time, again._ Myka looked at the shimmering surface of the Portal, and back to Leena's face on the monitor. "I think," she nodded, "that you should leave the office, and get back here to the Portal, as soon as possible. So you can leave the Warehouse."

Leena's eyes widened in surprise. "But what about finding Pete? Who will monitor the Warehouse system?"

"I'll find Pete," Myka said. "You need to get to safety, while there's still time."

"I'll warn the visitors up here to evacuate," Leena said, "but I'm not sure they'll listen."

Myka stared at the flashing red light. "Call Dr. Vanessa, and tell her to evacuate with Artie. But you need to be on your way back here to the Portal."

"I'll contact everyone," Leena said, "but I think I should stay here and keep a lookout, especially for the Portal."

Suddenly, in the distance, Myka heard two sharp cracking noises. _Gunfire. _Her heart pounded. _Gunfire in the Warehouse. _"Leena," she shouted, "I found Pete. You need to leave, now, while there's still time."

Myka turned and ran up the aisle, deeper into Warehouse 13. _Gunfire means Pete is either the shooter, or the target._

_._

* * *

.

Inside the thick-walled rooms of the Cold War Bunker, Helena and Claudia worked among the tables and pushcarts cluttered with boxes and objects collected from the Warehouse.

Helena scanned the chalkboard lists of countermeasures, filled with artifact names crossed out, and frowned._ Nothing is working to stop this bomb. Meanwhile, our time rapidly runs out. _

Wearing their headphones again, Helena watched Claudia adjust the controls on the large metallic cabinet housing the 1940s RADAR unit. On the circular RADAR screen, numerous small signal-lights pulsed.

Helena stared down at the nearby laptop and studied the system indicator's diagram of the Warehouse. _The Barrier hasn't budged, or even flickered._

Claudia looked over at her hopefully, but Helena shook her head.

Claudia's shoulders sagged as she switched off the machine and removed her headphones. "Great. Watson-Watts's prototype RADAR system has successfully located all the aircraft stored in the Warehouse. But this machine has no effect, whatsoever, on the any of the bomb components." She sighed in frustration.

"That's the last of the World War 2 artifacts," Helena said. Looking back at the chalkboard, she reviewed the last several artifacts they'd tried.

_Playing the original recording of actress Marlene Dietrich's song, "Lili Marlene."_

_Wrapping a pair of Dietrich's stockings around the container._

_Wrapping actress Betty Grable's swimsuit around the container._

_Covering the container with white flags of military surrender, individually and in combinations._

"Artie brought artifacts," Claudia said, "for every counter-acting category he could think of: military defeat, peace, happiness, morale-boosters. Nothing seems to get through this Artifact-Glass, to even touch the Masonry Artifact."

"Timer says?" Claudia moved to stand by the worktable. "Ugh," she groaned. "Ten minutes." With both hands, she reached up to grip her head. "OK, we can still solve this."

Reflexively, Helena clutched her locket. "Should we try the more powerful artifacts again?" She scanned the many objects piled on their worktables. _If we've tried them all, what else can we do? Think._

"Maybe," Claudia said. "Also, we have one more artifact, but it was Artie's last resort. Headphones required. We'll try the Supersonic Finger Cymbals."

"Supersonic?" Helena asked.

"Faster than the speed of sound," Claudia said. "These cymbals generate a powerful sound wave, which we hope will shatter this Artifact-Glass and open the container." She grimaced. "But without killing us, or triggering the explosion. Put your safety goggles on, too."

Covered with their protective headgear, Helena and Claudia watched in disappointment as clinking together the tiny cymbals had no apparent effect on the bomb's container.

After Helena removed her headphones, Claudia pointed past her. "Watch out for the broken glass." The office door into their workroom had a small window, now shattered.

"Looks like it broke the RADAR's old glass screen, too. Oops," Claudia said grimly.

_Nothing we tried had any effect on any part of the bomb._ Nervously, Helena swallowed, and realized she was thirsty. _I want a drink of water. _She stepped over to the pushcart to find the messenger bag of supplies and to retrieve her water bottle. Shifting the bag, she felt its heavy weight. _Godfrid's Spoon. I wonder. _She opened the bag and with her gloved hands, lifted out the large artifact ladle.

"Claudia," she asked, "why did you bring me Godfrid's Spoon? Does this artifact fit one of our categories of countermeasures?"

"No." Claudia smiled sadly. "Its category is 'Positive Proof.' Myka said we need evidence that we usually solve our cases." She pointed at the Spoon. "That's evidence, that I once worked on a case with H.G. Wells. Also, you saved my life when I was about to combust. Proof of another case solved."

Helena nodded and returned Godfrid's Spoon into the messenger bag. "Ah, yes. A bit of work with amino acids, and the effects of the artifacted sports-drink were neutralized. Thankfully, the necessary science hadn't changed."

Claudia reached up and gripped the top of her head. "Oh, man. Myka called us her two favorite scientists. She was sure my background in physics would help us deactivate the bomb." She dropped her hand and shook her head. "But so far, I don't see how any of these artifacts will solve our physics problem."

_Solving puzzles, saving the day._ Helena glared at the Artifact-Bomb. "Myka was right. We must consider these bomb components as a physics problem." She stared at the glowing digital numbers, counting down. _Physical components, in this case, include the Artifact-Glass container, the Masonry Artifact which possesses explosive power, the trigger mechanism and its timer. _

Claudia nodded. "If this were a normal bomb, I mean, not artifact-related, our main problem would be the size of the explosion, or how much damage the bomb can cause. As an engineering problem, I'd want to disconnect the timer, so it can't trigger the explosion."

"The timer, which we are unable to touch." Helena skimmed through Artie's chalkboard lists of countermeasures with all the items crossed out. "We conducted numerous experiments," she said. "Tested hypotheses, and considered variables, with negative results. Our experiments failed to answer our questions." _What if I fail to solve this puzzle? This time, we will all be lost._

"From our experiments," Claudia said, "we learned what doesn't work. But we can keep approaching this from other angles." From one of the cluttered worktables, she grabbed a camera. "I'll try the Dimensional Conversion Camera again. Maybe if we can just find the correct angle, the Camera could freeze-frame the bomb. Or freeze-frame the timer, maybe, and stop the countdown."

Pointing the camera closely against the transparent box, Claudia flashed the artifact's energy. Moving around the worktable, she tried twice more. "Still doesn't work," she said. "Nothing was freeze-framed. Time is running out."

.

* * *

.

Myka stared into the distance of the empty Warehouse aisle. _No sign of Pete or Sykes._

She turned to search the other end of the aisle. _So much for my new policy about us always taking backup, and never going on a mission alone._

_I left Helena alone._ She chose another row and hurried through it. _I sent Claudia off alone, carrying that bomb._

She reached the next aisle, and searched for signs of movement. _Pete took off without me. What if he needs backup and I'm not there?_

_So much for my big plan. I was sure we could change everything. Now all the plans I made are falling apart._ Myka checked the nearest red light, still flashing in alarm. _If any of us survive, it's up to Helena and Claudia. _


	64. Ch 64

POSTING SCHEDULE

ch. 63 & 64 - **2 chapters** **posted same day **(June 15)**  
**

**ch. 64** - posted June 15, Saturday - **you are here**

_ch. 65 - June 17 (Monday)_

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* * *

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_We must think._ Helena stared at the Artifact-Bomb. _With the proper analysis, the solution to this puzzle must present itself._

"I had hoped," Helena said, "that my experiences from Warehouse 12 might assist us on this mission. Unfortunately, I have yet to see any connection. You, on the other hand, are the promising young physicist. Tell me what you discern about our physics problem."

"For Warehouse 12 or 13," Claudia said, "the physics problem would be the same. The timer triggers the bomb. The bomb explodes. The explosion destroys the entire Warehouse."

"Since I am over 100 years behind in my studies," Helena said, "you will, please, refresh my memory by discussing the general ideas and principles of physics." She nodded confidently. "Physics is the science of the natural world, the study of matter and its motion, through space."

"Also through time," Claudia said, "which is running out."

"Continue the discussion," Helena said firmly. "Principles of physics. Matter, motion, space, time. I need your ideas. Out loud."

Claudia rubbed her forehead. "Yeah, OK. I've studied mechanical work, forms of energy: heat, electric, gravitational, magnetic." She pointed at the ceiling. "Like when I got magnetized to one of the Warehouse girders."

Helena raised one of her eyebrows. "Continue."

"One hundred years of physics principles." Claudia moved around the worktable and took a deep breath. "Energy. Einstein." She tilted her head. "Or in your case, Sir Isaac Newton. Newton's Laws of Motion. Experiments with acceleration and force. Forces push, or pull, on an object."

"Force," Helena wondered.

Claudia patted the Dimensional Conversion Camera. "But none of the artifact-forces could reach the Masonry Artifact, or the timer. That Artifact-Glass seems to be indestructible. I guess the countermeasures didn't produce enough force."

"Force," Helena said. "The box proved stronger than the force we applied." _Change the variables. Perhaps another artifact, with a different quality. _She turned to the pushcarts. _Earlier, from the inventory shelves, Claudia retrieved a sword._

"We're stuck," Claudia said, "until we can break open that box."

Quickly, Helena found the artifact. With her purple-gloved hands, she held up Excalibur and examined its long, leather scabbard. "Why did you bring a sword? And why this one?"

"I was supplying, and Myka was stocking up on weapons, but she didn't want it after all." Claudia shrugged. "It was opportunity, originally. While I was collecting other artifacts for Artie, I found Excalibur in the Invincibility Aisle."

"Invincibility," Helena repeated. _I wonder._

"Do you think," Claudia's eyes widened, "that we can use Excalibur? To actually do something?"

Helena drew the gleaming sword from its scabbard. "If I remember correctly," she said, "the power of invincibility, as a protective quality, belongs to the Scabbard Artifact worn by King Arthur." She handed the leather sheath, with its baldric, to Claudia. "Put this on, and don't take it off."

"Why?" Claudia took the Scabbard and put its baldric over her head, so it hung from her shoulder across her torso.

"If the legends were true," Helena said, "the person wearing the Scabbard cannot be harmed physically."

Claudia gaped at her. "But what about you?"

"Meanwhile, the sword Excalibur," Helena brandished it and studied its blade, "was reported to be a powerful weapon because it could never fail in battle. Against the enemies of Arthur, Excalibur always prevailed."

"And that means what, here, exactly?" Claudia asked.

"An excellent question." Helena carried the sword around the worktable and stood in front of the Artifact-Bomb. "As scientists, we search for answers to our questions."

"Mainly just one answer," Claudia said, "and we better find it, fast."

Helena beamed. "Claudia, my dear, I propose an experiment." She nodded toward the transparent container on the table in front of them. "This Artifact-Glass is unbreakable. But Excalibur always prevails. Let us experiment, by striking the container with the sword, and test their comparative strengths."

"Whoa," Claudia said. "You mean the irresistible force paradox: what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?" She nodded quickly. "Yes, science or artifact, either way. Try it."

Helena took the grip in both her gloved hands and raised the sword above her head. She took a deep breath, and rapidly swung down Excalibur's blade against the box. The slight cracking sound made Helena's heart skip a beat.

"I heard that," Claudia shouted. "That was something." She pointed at the container. "Look! See that?"

Helena followed Claudia's pointing finger, and blinked. _A small crack in the container's surface. _Her heart sank. "Not enough force. The box isn't opened. I failed."

"Oh, no, you did not fail," Claudia said. "You, and the mighty Excalibur, succeeded in making a small hole in the box."

Tiredly, Helena set the sword aside. "But we didn't open the box. We cannot remove the bomb's components."

Claudia grinned and grabbed one of the large white, oddly-shaped objects she had carried earlier. "Although we can't get the components out of the box, we can put something new into the box, through the hole." She indicated the white object in her hands. "This is a toy gun that usually holds water and squirts it back out. But I filled the gun with Neutralizer."

Carefully, Claudia aligned the nozzle of the gun against the small hole in the container. "Now, with the Goo Gun, we can force the Purple Goo inside the box, into the Artifact-Bomb."

Helena gasped. "Neutralize the interior artifact?"

"Here we go." Claudia squeezed the trigger, pushing a thin stream of the purple liquid into the transparent box. "Check the monitor. Is the Barrier switching off?"

Helena studied the computer's diagram of the protective dome over the Warehouse. The dome's outline flickered, but then regained its shape. "The Barrier, it seemed to flinch," she said. "Keep going."

Claudia held the Goo Gun against the small hole, forcing more Neutralizer into the transparent box. "OK, some of the Purple Goo has reached the Masonry Artifact. Please tell me the Neutralizer is working."

Helena watched the monitor as the dome's outline flickered again. "The Barrier flinched again, but then it regained the signal. The dome remains."

Claudia continued squirting the purple liquid into the container. "This artifact has enough power to destroy the entire Warehouse. The container's not that big, and the Masonry Artifact is almost submerged in Goo. So what if this still isn't enough neutralizing power?"

Helena looked from the unchanged dome diagram to the still-visible numbers on the digital timer. "The Barrier remains, while the clock continues counting down," she said. "Our time is running out."

"That's it. The container is full of Neutralizer." Claudia stepped back from the worktable. "And speaking of time, let me remind you about the Pocketwatch, and our ability to travel back, in time."

Helena shook her head. "No, I don't want to turn back time. I want to stop that timer. I want Time itself to stop." She sighed in frustration. "But I know perfectly well, it's not possible to make time stand still."

"Make time stand still," Claudia said slowly, frowning in thought. "Now there's a physics question. How could we make something stand still?"

Helena glanced around to locate her original messenger bag. "You certainly can't stand around here any longer," she said. "Run through the Warehouse, back the way we came, and leave through the Portal." She rummaged in the bag to find her logbook and Caturanga's journal. "It's the only way to escape the explosion. Run."

"Both of us will run." Claudia nodded emphatically. "Back the way we came. We're going to run out of this Bunker, but we're taking the Artifact-Bomb with us." She slung her messenger bag and a Goo Gun over her shoulder.

Helena frowned in confusion. "No. The Bunker may reduce the extent of the explosion." She held out the books to Claudia. "Take these with you. And if you must open the Chess Lock, in some other timeline, just change the rules and knock off the king directly, with one of your pieces."

Claudia stuffed the books into her bag. "You're going with me."

_Doesn't Claudia realize that she must be the one who survives?_ "I will continue working here," Helena said, "in the minutes that remain."

"Hello?" Claudia said. "We, both of us, are still working on our plan, to solve our physics problem." She picked up the Artifact-Bomb. "We're leaving together, and we're going to deactivate the bomb." She darted over to the workroom door. "I know what to do."

"Do? Do what?" _Where does she think she's going? _Helen grabbed her heavy bag with the Grappler and Tesla. "Taking the bomb with us was certainly not part of my escape plan. Apparently, you have another plan?" _Probably using something that's from the twenty-first century, and highly dangerous._

Claudia pushed open the workroom door. "Yes. We just need to make time stand still." She turned and left.

_At least she's wearing the Scabbard Artifact._ Helena caught the door. "I am supposed to protect you," she called out.

Claudia shouted back, "Then try and keep up."


	65. Ch 65

**TWO CHAPTERS** were posted on June 15 (Ch. 63 and 64).

Now, you are here, in Ch. 65.

* * *

.

Outside the Escher Vault, Mrs. Frederic glanced around the entrance area and looked down at her Farnsworth.

On the viewscreen, Leena shook her head."The motion sensors haven't recorded any movement near the Vault. Let me check the surveillance cameras."

"MacPherson seemed to be retracing his steps," Mrs. Frederic said, "and re-collecting the artifacts he had previously stolen." She sighed in frustration. "That's why I came back here. That day he died, MacPherson wanted something from the Escher Vault."

_He went to a great deal of trouble to get H.G. Wells and her Imperceptor Vest, just so they could break into the Vault. What did MacPherson expect to find?_

Leena frowned. "I'm scanning through the surveillance footage," she said slowly, "but so far, no one is visible."

"I'll keep looking in the Warehouse." Mrs. Frederic glanced farther out, toward the inventory shelves. "If MacPherson's not here at the Vault, then he's out there, collecting something else."

"Wait, Mrs. Frederic," Leena said, "Dr. Calder wanted to tell you ..."

"I don't have time for the doctor's opinions on Walter Sykes." Abruptly, she closed the Farnsworth.

_Time is running out. _She glanced over at the flashing red light. _I'm sure Arthur will find a way to deactivate the Artifact-Bomb. _She checked her suit jacket pocket for the Pocketwatch Artifact she carried. _And if not, Arthur can call me on the Farnsworth. I still have time travel, as my last resort. _

_In the meantime, I must find MacPherson before he causes us further harm. _Quickly she walked out onto the main floor of the Warehouse._ The last time we encountered his ghost, MacPherson was haunting the rooms in the Dead Agent Archive. What was he doing in the Archive?_

_._

* * *

.

Quickly Helena followed Claudia through the doorway and out of the Cold War Bunker.

"Please tell me," Helena called out her, "that you have some twenty-first century technology on hand here in Warehouse 13." She followed Claudia as they hurried through the aisles of inventory.

"No," Claudia said, "with some old-fashioned hardware, by way of Warehouse 12, we can solve this puzzle, and save the day. Basically, this was your idea."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Helena asked.

"We can make time stand still," Claudia said, "for 100 years, at least. That ought to stop the bomb." She shifted the bag and Goo Gun she carried on her shoulder. "We're going back to the Bronze Sector."

_The Bronzer. Is is possible?_ Helena called out, "You think that the Bronzing process can prevent the bomb from exploding?" She followed as Claudia turned a corner and ran up the next aisle. "Can you be sure?"

"We have positive proof," Claudia said, "that the Bronzer works, because here you are. You were cryogenically frozen and held in perfect stasis. Then," she said hesitantly, "for over 100 years, you literally stood still."

"Perfect stasis," Helena said. "Of course. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Also," Claudia said, "sorry if going into the Bronze Sector will bring up bad memories. Myka said that you were conscious, the whole time you were frozen?"

"Oh, no, my dear," Helena said. "That claim of consciousness, that was a lie. A rather outrageous lie, I'll admit."

"Well, then," Claudia said, "that's good to know. That all of you, even your brain, was in complete stasis."

"What do you mean?" Helena asked, as they hurried past the shelves of inventory.

"Because we need the Bronzer to freeze all the components, completely, and stop the Artifact-Bomb, cold," Claudia said. "Otherwise, in about three minutes, we're toast."

.

* * *

.

Myka ran through the rows of inventory. _Why, Pete? Why did you have to panic and run off without me? _

She remembered the pain on his face, horrified at the harm he'd done to Artie. _Sykes forced Pete to hit Artie with that bat. _She remembered the sound of Artie, crying out in pain. _But Pete will blame himself anyway._

Her arm throbbed in pain. _Pete won't be the only one with terrible regrets. Why didn't I shoot Sykes? I had the perfect shot. How could I lose my concentration like that? _

She pictured the Purple Goo streaming down onto Pete and Sykes, breaking the artifact-power of the DeMille Crop. _At least Sykes doesn't have the Crop anymore. _In her memory, it was a chaotic scene. _Pete was shouting. Sykes was shouting. _

She stopped at the corner-end of a row to catch her breath. _Why did Sykes cry out like that? He sounded almost as bad as Artie. Was Sykes in pain, too?_

_Whatever sent Sykes running away, he seems to have traveled pretty far. _She sighed in frustration. _If Pete's pursuit drove Sykes deeper into the Warehouse interior, I may never catch up to them._

From the end of the shelving unit, above her, the red alarm light flashed. _Sykes knows the countdown on his bomb is running out. Maybe this time, Sykes will die in the explosion with us. That would be poetic justice. _

_Ugh, now I'm getting morbid. _She took a deep breath. _Where is Pete, with his annoying jokes, when I need him?_

Myka ran away from the light's red glare. _Now would be a good time for Helena and Claudia to save the day._

_._

* * *

.

Arriving inside the Bronze Sector, Helena copied Claudia as she set her supplies down next to the Bronzer console and Warehouse computer station.

"Take this." Claudia handed the Artifact-Bomb to Helena. Across the console and the computer, Claudia touched numerous buttons. "I'll open the Chamber door."

Helena moved toward the Bronzer Chamber as its door slid open. She shivered at the sound. _At least I don't have to stand inside. _She leaned in through the doorway and set the Artifact-Bomb on the Chamber floor.

"Ready," she called to Claudia. She watched as the door slid shut.

The loud rumbling of the Bronzer machinery startled her. _I remember that sound, too. _She hurried to stand beside Claudia at the console.

"Cranking up the machinery," Claudia said, "just in time." She pointed to the computer monitors. One screen showed the Barrier diagram, with its dome arching over the outlined Warehouse. Another screen displayed the timer's countdown.

The rumbling sounds from the machinery grew louder. Helena crossed her arms tightly. _Perfect stasis. Based on a perfectly good hypothesis. I just hope it works._

From inside the Bronzer Chamber came a loud blast of pressure. "That's the Big Chill," Claudia said as she stared at the Barrier diagram. "Come on, come on."

Helena glanced at the computer screens, and turned away. Instead, she watched the younger woman. _Claudia should have left, through the Portal. I should have insisted, made her flee to safety. _

The Bronzer machinery rumbled and churned. Helena shut her eyes. _Perhaps the Scabbard Artifact may yet save her. Otherwise, I have failed._

Helena felt Claudia grab her by the elbow. "The Barrier," Claudia said. "It's flickering. Look!"

Helena opened her eyes and watched as the Barrier diagram's dome-outline flickered. She stared in disbelief. The Barrier flickered again, and disappeared.

Her heart pounded. _Will the Barrier remain off? Has the danger truly passed?_

The rumbling from the machinery slowed down and grew quieter until finally clanking to a halt.

"Whoa." Claudia pointed at screen displaying the final time. "One minute, fourteen seconds. I'd say that's cutting it close enough."

Helena inhaled deeply. _I hope this isn't another dream. _She looked around for Mrs. Frederic. _Is this real? Has the bomb truly been neutralized?_

The keys clicked as Claudia worked at the computer. "The Barrier looks like it's gone for good." She turned from the console and looked around. "The red alarm-lights have switched off. So if the Warehouse says the danger is passed, I think we're safe now."

Claudia laughed and hugged Helena briefly. "We did it."

Helena tried to smile and held her locket.

"Are you OK?" Claudia asked. "I thought you'd look happier."

Helena nodded. "I am greatly relieved that you and the others are safe. Relieved that the Warehouse still stands."

"I wasn't worried," Claudia said, "because we still had our last resort right here." From her black coat's pocket, she retrieved the Pocketwatch. "Time travel."

Helena frowned skeptically. "Then I am also relieved that we did not use such an unreliable device. And how is it, exactly, that you are carrying such a powerful artifact with you, in your pocket, like it was a handkerchief?"

"I took it." Claudia put the watch back into her coat pocket. "Actually, I swapped out the artifact. I took the real Pocketwatch, and replaced it with an antique watch that looks just like it. Mrs. Frederic has the ordinary pocketwatch."

"Why?" Helena asked. "Why did you think it necessary, to deceive even Mrs. Frederic?"

"Because I want to go back, in time, and save Steve," Claudia said. "And you don't need to remind me that the Pocketwatch didn't work. We can still try again."

Near them, the Bronzer machinery made another brief clunking sound. Helena flinched in surprise.

"It's all right," Claudia said. "That's just some of the pipes, returning to room temperature." She shrugged. "So that's what's bothering you. Being here, next to the Bronzer. But you really were unconscious the whole time, after all?"

"Yes." Helena nodded. "I lied to the intrepid Agents Bering and Lattimer because I was highly annoyed at being outmaneuvered. I was trying to regain the upper hand. I'd wager that more than half of what I said, from the moment I was Debronzed, was lies."

"But obviously," Claudia said, "the whole Bronzing scenario bothers you. Which is totally understandable. "

"I have memories of being Bronzed." Helena crossed her arms tightly. "Those are troubling enough. And also some memories of my De-bronzing, or rather, its after-effects."

"Hey, you don't have to worry about that happening again," Claudia said. "Myka and I would never let you be Bronzed again. Or stored in the Janus coin, either."

_Incarceration comes in many forms._ Helena smiled sadly. "I am grateful to be back in my physical body. I'm glad to be alive. That's enough for today."

"Myka still regrets that we weren't the ones to Debronze you," Claudia said.

Helena sighed tiredly. "I regret terribly than I ruined my chance at a new life in this new world."

Claudia picked up her messenger bag and Goo Gun. "If only we had found you first, instead of MacPherson. We could have saved you sooner."

"MacPherson!" Helena said. "And here I stand, dawdling." She picked up her heavy messenger bag. "We must assist Myka and Pete in apprehending the intruders."

Claudia stepped to the computer station and began working. "Also, Mrs. Frederic never showed up to help us. But with all the chaos in the Warehouse today, I'm not sure the motion sensors can help us locate anyone, exactly. First, we have to find the Bad Guys."

"Considering the last few days," Helena said, "the trouble may find us."

"Uh, oh." Claudia pointed at the computer screen. "Looks like someone is opening up the Dead Agent Archive. That's the last place I saw MacPherson."

"Righty ho, then," Helena said. "Back to work, saving the day."


End file.
